A Good Edd Is Hard To Break
by DuoXKouga
Summary: After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd finds himself facing a whole new mess of trouble. FULL SUMMARY AND WARNINGS INSIDE.
1. Speak of the Bro

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Mental Instability, and Psychological Abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Hey everyone! Well, we're back in action! Well, sorta. I'm not really all in action, but Battygirl has my back and so she's doing a lot of the work. I got a lot of shit going on and I'm still gonna be a big part of this, just not at the moment. Hope you all enjoy!  
_

 _Battygirl: Yay! Finally able to post this! I don't have too much to say, I hope you guys like what we're doing with this one. Please leave a review if you can. We really love getting the feedback._

 _Um one more important thing we wanna bring up. This fic will regularly update every other Friday. So, two weeks from now, the next chapter will go up and follow that pattern until the end. Also, this IS a sequel to our previous fic, A Good Edd Is Hard To Find, so if you haven't read that, we'd definitely recommend it to fully comprehend just what's going on here. Thanks._

 _Without further ado, please enjoy chapter one._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Speak of the Bro**

* * *

He's at the window again. Eyes staring without focus past the grimy panes of glass as he stands before the window sill. Despite the sunlight hitting his face, he doesn't feel its warmth. His expression reflects the numbness he's feeling. It's a strange sensation; one which he can't describe or even comprehend. He glances down at his arms. There are a few bruises here and there along his skin, but the majority of the blotched stains of black and blue have faded, reflecting his 'good behavior' as of late.

With a sigh, he pulls the plaid sleeves down some to cover the bruises. His gaze drifts back out the window. Is he waiting for something? For someone? That doesn't sound right…What would he be waiting for? He has everything he needs here…doesn't he?

He's startled slightly as a pair of arms embrace him and a body presses against his own. A hand turns his head to face the man behind him. The grin sent his way sends a shiver through him as Edd leans into the arms around him.

"What're you doing out of bed, Princess…?"

Another shiver races down the boy's spine at the tone. He hunches his shoulders some, gazing up at the man shyly.

"M-My apologies…Terry…" Edd mumbles softly, averting his gaze and anxiously rubbing his arm near his wrist, "I just…it's such a lovely day. I merely wanted to…to admire the view for a while…" Biting his lip some, he glances back at him. "I…I was most definitely going to return. I just…needed a moment alone…I suppose…"

Terry grimaces some at that, making the boy flinch.

"And why would you want that?" he nearly growls, "Are you thinkin' about running away from me, sweetheart?"

Shivering, Edd turns himself to face the man fully.

"I-I didn't mean it like that…" he whimpers, "Please…I-I _want_ to stay. Really, I do…" He grasps at Terry's robe, gazing up at him pitifully. "Forgive me…please!"

Terry groans some as the boy buries his face in his chest, nuzzling him. He observes him for a few moments before his sadistic grin returns. He moves Edd away to look down at him.

"Of course I forgive you, my little Princess…" he purrs, cupping Edd's chin, "After all…I'm pretty sure you can make it up to me…Can't you?"

Edd's face is a bright red at the insinuation. Terry's other hand goes to work on him; his fingers toying with the boy's sensitive nipples. Little moans slip past Edd's lips as he squirms in the man's grip. His eyes shut against the pleasure. Terry's lips against his own, just caressing the corner of his mouth and making a path along his jaw toward his neck.

With a shiver, he swallows the lump in his throat and opens his eyes to look at the man again, nodding shyly.

"Wh…Whatever you want, Terry…" he murmurs, "I…I'm yours…"

Terry urges him closer and Edd doesn't fight it. His eyes drift shut again as their lips meet and he shivers in anticipation for the kiss to deepen.

* * *

A gasp tears itself from Edd's chest as he bolts upright in his bed. He runs a hand over his face and through his hair, eyes darting around in confusion. As he looks around at the familiar surroundings of his own bedroom, he begins to calm. He covers his mouth, chastising himself for his own paranoia.

Glancing at his nightstand and to his alarm clock, he groans a bit. He'd done it again; waking about ten minutes before his alarm had been set to go off. He grimaces. _This is getting quite troublesome…_

It's certainly not his main problem, however. As he shuts off the alarm, he regretfully notices his own arousal and the noticeable stain on the crotch of his pajama pants. _So is that…_ With a whimper, he rises from the bed, slipping out of his pants and underwear.

Shortly after the dreams had begun after his return home, he'd abandoned his one-size-fits-all pajamas. As efficient as they used to be, he now found it far more uncomfortable and tedious to strip down just to clean himself up. The ease of only having to change his pants has become much more freeing (and significantly easier for his laundry duties).

He approaches his closet and strips out of his clothes completely before slipping on his bathrobe, doing his best to ignore his arousal as he does so. After hiding his soiled pajama pants and underwear and making a mental note to wash them later, he dons a shower cap and grabs a fresh hat before making his way swiftly to the bathroom.

Stepping into the shower, he turns the water on. He keeps the temperature of the water pretty cold; a good shock to the system to clear his head of his dream and wake him up properly should be just what he needs. He fights the urge to squeal as the icy water hits his bare skin. It does the trick, though. The fog clouding his mind disperses and he can think much more clearly. He lowers his gaze to the persistent predicament between his legs. With a sigh, he tries to focus his thoughts on other things, such as the day he's about to enjoy.

School is finally back in session! He grins a bit at that. As this day grew nearer and nearer, he became more and more excited. He'd nearly dragged his mother to the store about a week ago - at the very _height_ of the back-to-school sales - to load up on supplies. He'd also been sure to put said supplies on a more secure lockdown. He grimaces a bit as memories of the previous year come to him. He's not about to let _that_ happen again.

Aside from the supplies, of course, his mother had treated him to new clothes to welcome the new year. He couldn't have been happier, he imagines. To finally fall back into his favorite routine. A far more welcome venture than his current habits, of course.

With the promise of school on his mind, he removes the shower cap to wash his hair. Once clean, he steps out of the shower. He vaguely notices that distracting his mind had indeed solved the problem of his arousal - something he's quite relieved to discover. Before doing much else, he brushes his teeth thoroughly and dries his hair. Placing his beloved black cap on his head, he wraps his towel around his middle and exits the bathroom, depositing his robe into his laundry shoot.

He returns to his bedroom, a bright smile on his face as he closes the door. Back to the closet. He searches for the _perfect_ outfit. He'll be starting advanced classes today. Though he's upset that he can't share these classes with Ed and Eddy, he can't deny his excitement to be excelling academically. And he's determined to make a good impression.

He settles on a nice, collared shirt and a pair of comfortable, but practical shorts. The weather has still been quite warm lately, which he considers odd for this time of year. Of course, he's not complaining. It's certainly better than the intense cold that will come with winter.

As he sits on the bed, pulling on his socks and new shoes, he happens a glance at his nightstand. He catches a glimpse of a tiny piece of metal. He feels cold as his gaze lingers on it. A tiny key.

A weight settles in his stomach. He'd yet to tell his parents about that…

* * *

He groaned some as he slowly woke. The distinct scent of bleach burned his nostrils, reminding him he was in the sterile hospital room, though he remembered little else about the night before. A lot of screaming and crying. He couldn't recall much at all. Aside from Terry…He clearly remembered dreaming of him at _some_ point. His voice had sounded so clear in his mind. Words that sent shivers down his spine as he recalled them…

 _…belong to me…_

 _…I'll be back soon enough…_

 _…bring you home…_

 _…Wait for me…_

With a shudder, he rose to sit up.

He felt something shift in his hand. Glancing down, he spotted a key.

 _What on earth…?_

He turned the key over in his hand, studying it carefully. Where had it come from? Why did he have it? The morning light from the window reflected off the key and over his face as he poked and prodded at the trinket, fighting to understand its meaning.

Finally, it clicked. He'd sworn his heart stopped when he finally realized it. Memories flashing in his head of the handcuffs around his wrists. Shackled to the bedpost unless Terry wanted to free him to move him into a more 'pleasurable' position. He felt sick as he remembered the small key that the man had used to unlock him. The key he now held in his hand.

His attention whipped all around him, searching frantically around the room with his eyes. Half expecting to find Terry in the room, ready to steal him away.

Wide eyes settled upon his father in the chair by the door. He opened his mouth to speak to him, to beg for his help. He stopped. His father wasn't _just_ sitting in the chair. He was slumped over, using his coat as a blanket. Lost in an uncomfortable sleep, with heavy bags under his eyes. His glasses were resting on the small table beside him, set there haphazardly when he had just begun to drift off.

Guilt had taken the boy then. It was obvious to him that his father had been deeply upset. So worried about him. Glancing back at the key, Edd realized how much more the man would worry about him if he knew. How much more stressed he'd become at the very notion that the man who had abused his child could have been there. His mother too. She'd been so upset, so scared and hurt.

Resolutely, he hid the key beneath his hat, deciding then and there not to reveal a thing…

* * *

His hands shake some as he fits a tie around his neck. Those words had haunted him since his return home.

 _…I'll be back soon enough…_

He realizes how foolish it had been to hide something so important from his parents. Logically, he knows that he should make them aware of it. If he did, they could implement steps to ensure his safety.

However, he cannot bring himself to do it. The pain on their faces whenever they so much as glanced in his direction was difficult enough to bear. He didn't want to burden them more with panic and worry that his captor may have tried to contact him in some way while he had been incapacitated in the hospital.

The fact of the matter is that he's home and he's safe. It's been a few months since the incident and he's neither seen nor heard any sign of Terry since waking up in the hospital. Why upset them over what could easily be nothing at all?

Shrugging, he turns away from his nightstand and approaches his door, where his school bag is resting. The night before, he'd packed up everything he believed he would need for the first day (and perhaps just as much that he didn't). Slinging it over his shoulder, he opens his door and exits the room.

He walks downstairs and is greeted by the sounds of his parents bustling about. They'll be heading into work shortly after he leaves for school. His father has a cup of coffee in his hand as he gathers up several papers into his briefcase and his mother is hunched over a pad of sticky notes. Edd pouts a bit at the sight, but says nothing against it as he steps into the kitchen.

"Good morning…" he murmurs softly.

They glance at him, slowly halting their movements. His mother forces a smile as she stands straight.

"Oh…good morning, Eddward," she greets shakily.

Samuel looks away uncomfortably, bringing his coffee to his lips.

"Good morning…" he nods before taking a sip.

Edd's discouraged by the looks on their faces. Lately, his father has been more and more uncomfortable around him. It's as though he doesn't know how to approach his son at all. A vastly different response than what he'd received at the hospital, Edd is regretful to note. And his mother is no better. Whenever she looks at Edd, it's only ever with an expression of sorrow, pity…grief. Valerie approaches her son, brow furrowed.

"I have prepared your lunch for today," she informs him, "Would you like me to cook you something for breakfast?"

With a sigh, he smiles at her.

"No, thank you," he says as he sets his bag on the table, "I'm not terribly hungry this morning. Something light will suffice. Do we have any cereal?"

"Oh yes!" comes the over-enthusiastic response.

Valerie rushes over to the cabinet and retrieves a box of Chunky Puffs. A bowl and spoon follow suite. Before she can open the refrigerator, however, Edd steps in front of her, hands up in defense.

"Thank you, mother," he stutters, "But please, I insist. I can handle this. No need to fret over me."

She pouts some, but drops the matter, returning to the counter where she'd been writing. Edd pours himself a full bowl of cereal and milk, glancing at the time. He still has at least fifteen minutes to spare before Ed and Eddy would arrive to walk to school with him. Plenty of time to enjoy his breakfast. Still, after taking a seat at the table, he eats quickly, eager for the day ahead.

His father leaves the room a few minutes later to collect something, leaving the boy alone with his mother. She glances at him uneasily.

"You know…Eddward…" she begins slowly, "If you are not ready to go back to school, you could always wait a year…" She shifts uncomfortably when Edd stops eating. "I do not want you to…well, 'overstimulate' yourself with your classes."

The boy sighs softly, head bowed and gaze locked on the bowl. There are only a few bites left. Before answering, he finishes his meal and rises to his feet. When he looks up at his mother, he gives her a big smile.

"Of course I'm ready to go back," he assures her cheerfully, "I've been looking forward to my return to school." He sets his bowl in the sink and turns on the water to wash it. "I'm quite sure I'll be alright."

Once through with the dishes, he sets them in the rack to dry. His mother is silent for a few minutes, absorbing what he'd said. There's a knock at at the door. Ed and Eddy must have arrived. His father returns as Edd retrieves his bag.

"Eddward," the man addresses him, his tone soft, but stern enough to garner the boy's attention, "Don't forget your appointment this afternoon with Dr. Underwood."

Edd hesitates, flinching as though he were physically struck by the statement. He glances at him wearily.

"I'm aware, father," he responds with a nod, "Not to worry; I'll be there."

Samuel nods back in understanding; "Good."

Bowing his head to avoid looking at either of them any longer, Edd walks to the door.

"Eddward," his mother says suddenly.

He stops and turns to her. She hesitates, thinking carefully about what to say.

"If you…" she begins uneasily, "If you are feeling…'overwhelmed'…at all today…" She bites her lip some. "Do not hesitate to call us. Your father or I will come right away to get you if you need to come home."

Edd gives her a pained look.

"I'm quite certain I'll be alright," he responds sorrowfully, "But very well…"

She nods before forcing another smile; "Have a good day, sweetheart. We love you."

He hunches his shoulders some and nods back; "I love you too. Farewell…"

With that, he approaches the front door before stepping outside. As expected, Ed and Eddy are standing in front of the door.

"Good morning, gentlemen," he greets with a warm smile.

"Mornin' Double D!" Ed cries, throwing his arms around Edd in a tight hug.

Edd giggles a bit, pleased by his dear friend's enthusiasm.

" _C'mon,_ you two," Eddy groans, "Keep up that mushy crap and we'll be late."

Ed releases Edd from the embrace, but Eddy's tone doesn't put a damper on his mood. He continues bouncing from one foot to another, giggling excitedly in anticipation of the day ahead.

Edd, however, is much more surprised to notice how chipper (albeit slightly irritated about waiting) Eddy is looking as well – how eager he seems to be to get to school. As long as Edd could remember, Eddy had never particularly 'liked' school in the slightest and only ever seemed to be in a bad mood when the subject came up. Lately, however, he's been almost as excited as his fellow Eds for class to begin.

As they start walking, Edd decides to bring this up.

"My, Eddy…" he keeps his tone pleasant, "You're in a surprisingly 'eager' mood this morning. Could it be you're finally embracing a love for academia?"

"In yer _dreams,_ Sockhead!" Eddy scoffs. "I'm just stoked to meet up with everybody! It's like the only thing that'll make that place _bearable!_ "

"Ah yes…" Edd rolls his eyes, "How silly of me to forget…" He puts a smile back on to appease him. "Well, perhaps you have plans after school? Have you any new scam ideas you'd like to implement?"

"Nah," Eddy shrugs, "Kevin invited us to hang out later. You know what that means, right?"

"Free jawbreakers!" Ed cheers.

"Bingo, Burrhead!" Eddy jovially punches Ed's arm for emphasis, which gets Ed laughing harder.

Edd bows his head some, trying not to look _too_ disappointed as they continue to walk, with Ed and Eddy happily consuming the bulk of the conversation.

 _Not again…_

It's been like this for months. After all of the groundings had ended and the children of the cul-de-sac could play together freely, Edd had sought to return to their scams. Granted, he'd grown tired of the actual swindling of the other's money as time passed, but creating things with his dearest friends had been his most beloved past time.

Eddy, unfortunately, didn't seem to share this desire. He'd argued that, now that the others viewed them as friends, he didn't _want_ to scam them…at least not _now_. Eddy had assured him they could start the scams up again later — he's not _that_ willing to give up trying to earn easy money — but only after they've improved their social status among the others as much as they can so they're not ostracized like before.

But that isn't what upset Edd about the situation…

It had become apparent from the word 'go' that Eddy had been overeager to expand their little social circle. Every day had been spent with Kevin, Nazz and Johnny. Rolf would often join them as well, but would just as often have many chores to complete and no chance to play. Sarah and Jimmy preferred to keep to themselves, but would sometimes fall in with them if they had little else to do to occupy their time. Regardless of the roster, they had begun spending their days surrounded by friends.

Or at least what _Eddy_ called 'friends'.

It's not that Edd _disliked_ any of the other children - for the most part, he might enjoy their company once in a while. What irked him most anymore was the way the others looked at him. Despite his best efforts to gain a repertoire with them, they rarely seemed interested in reciprocating this intent. Whenever he would engage them in conversation, there would never be a desire to speak as equals, but to talk down to. Whenever he would look into their eyes, he would only find pity, worry, sorrow. Instead of a group of friends rallying around them, he was presented with a group of children who have no idea how to treat someone who's experienced what he has and therefore resort to labeling him in their minds as much more fragile than before. A group that thinks forced sympathy is the best approach.

In Edd's experience, he finds that it never is.

Eddy, of course, never seems to notice this. No longer an outcast, the boy is _basking_ in the wake of finally having so many friends for the first time in his life. And how could Edd blame him? It hadn't been terribly long that they had all been excluded from the larger group, but it had hurt the shorter boy deeply regardless.

Because of this, Edd doesn't complain. While Ed and Eddy eagerly join in activities with the others, Edd remains at the sidelines, watching and waiting for the two to return to him so they can enjoy their time as a trio once more. Unfortunately, given the many parties and get-togethers either Nazz or Kevin would enjoy throwing, that personal time he was craving had become a rarity, making him feel more and more isolated. Forced to sit back and wait. To ignore the way the others would patronize him, treating him as something delicate. Treating him as someone _far too_ delicate to speak plainly towards. As someone _too delicate_ to want to join in. Biting his tongue. Trying to be patient and failing as the time drags on and the parties last way too long.

And it's beginning to wear on him significantly.

The walk to school isn't terribly long, as usual, and they make way quickly to their homeroom, stopping for just a moment at their lockers that they kept from the year before to deposit a few of their belongings. This year, they'd been placed in the same room from the start, something which Edd's greatly relieved to find. To 'negotiate' with the Kankers again to swap homerooms would be completely out of the question.

They settle into their seats and Edd finally feels himself relaxing again. The distinct smell of books and chalk and the like soothes him as Eddy chats up the students around him. Ed's being his normal, silly self in an effort to make the others laugh. Kevin and Nazz arrive shortly after, speaking amongst themselves. Since coming home, they'd been on shaky terms — something about Kevin caring more about his bike than her? — but have recently returned to their previous relationship.

They take a seat near the three Eds, greeting them casually. Nazz sits next to Edd and gives him a warm smile. Eddy tenses in response, anticipating what's to come.

"Hey, Double D…" she says in a soft, delicate tone, "How're you holding up, dude?"

Edd grimaces some. He hunches his shoulders a bit as he leans forward against his desk, head bowed.

"I'm fine," he bites back tersely.

Nazz seems startled by this; "Y-You sure?"

"I told you, I'm fine," he snaps back, glaring at her.

Hoping to calm himself, he returns his attention back to the front of the room, rubbing his forehead in irritation. Were this an isolated incident, he may have been more tactful. However, this had been Nazz's approach with him since coming home. Gentle, far too delicate, and undeniably patronizing. He'd tried and failed on numerous occasions to make her understand why this upset him, but it never seemed to take. Now, after months of dealing with this, he can only respond with hostility in a desperate bid to make her stop.

With his back turned, he doesn't see the shocked look Eddy's giving him. Nor does he notice the murmurs around him from the other students, startled by Edd's behavior. The boy who was normally such a pacifist, had just spoken so coldly to Nazz, who they believe had done nothing to warrant such treatment. The shorter boy leans forward.

He whispers to him; "Hey, Sockhead—"

Before he can continue, the teacher walks in to begin class.

The time passes without much incident. Edd keeps his eyes and mind focused on the lesson itself. Before he knows it, the bell rings, signaling the end of class. Edd gathers his things quickly before bidding a short 'see you soon' to Ed and Eddy and slipping out of the room. He has an advanced class immediately after this and he intends to make it on time.

Up a flight of stairs to the second floor. He double-checks the classroom number before stepping inside. He takes a seat in the very front, eager to begin. The bell rings again a few moments later and class begins.

To his dismay, his new teacher has a seating chart, which she implements before anything else. Instead of the middle of the front row, where he'd chosen to sit, she places Edd near the window in the back, citing that she's sorted them alphabetically. Edd curses his own name for banishing so far from the front. He only hopes he'll still engage in the same level of involvement as the others.

To make matters worse, of course, this woman has no interest in actually beginning any classwork for the first day. Instead, she had decided that they will begin with the syllabus, which would most likely take up the entire class period. Edd releases a soft groan. He's not sure if it's merely irony or poor luck to be placed in an advanced class, only to have his new teacher hold him back.

About midway through the class, he lets his thoughts wander, fantasizing about the work they'll be doing. His attention drifts from the dreary desk and walls to the window in a weary hope to alleviate his boredom by admiring the lovely day outside.

Instead, he feels his blood run cold.

Leaning casually against one of the trees in the yard behind the school. Red plaid standing out brightly in the sun. A twisted grin creeping onto his face. Those cold blue eyes locked on his own, sending chills down his spine. Edd feels sick as Terry brings a hand up and silently beckons him.

Memories flash in his mind. That cruel grin bearing down on him as the man beats him. Those wicked lips upon his skin. That scratchy, taunting voice, whispering his sinister lies and promises of pain into his ears. Those cruel, calloused hands holding his hips down as he thrusts into the writhing body beneath.

Tears are burning his eyes. His breathing becomes labored as he begins to pull his hat down over his face. He can't contain the screams any longer. Sobs wracking his body as he begs for mercy.

"N-No!" he shrieks, finally articulating some though, "Not again! Leave me alone! P-Please!"

" _Eddward!_ "

Edd gasps, his eyes shooting open. He lifts his hat to look around. He's still in the classroom. His teacher is staring at him in disbelief, shocked that he would interrupt class like that.

"Eddward, sweetheart, are you alright?" she asks in an incredulous tone.

Edd shakes his head.

"N-No!" he sobs, "No, I'm not! O-Outside! I-I-I saw–"

He points outside, desperate for them to see. When he turns to look, though, there's nothing. He jumps to his feet and darts to the window, searching for any sign of the man.

Nothing.

The hushed whispers around him draw him from his panic.

 _"What a weirdo…"_

 _"Ugh, sit down, you little spaz…"_

 _"The hell is wrong with him?!"_

 _"Freak…"_

He glances around, looking desperate.

"Didn't…" he mutters breathlessly, "D-Didn't someone — _a-anyone…!_ Didn't someone else see him?!"

"See who, Eddward?" his teacher asks, brow furrowed.

There's a silence as Edd looks around the room full of students, looking for someone to reassure him of what he'd seen.

"There's nothing out there you little weirdo…" a girl notes with a snarky tone.

"Rachel!" the woman hisses back, chiding her student.

Edd deflates some. A closer look at the others around him confirms that they had seen nothing. With a shiver, he shrinks in on himself.

"Oh…Oh dear…" he stutters, bowing his head contritely.

His body is quaking in embarrassment. How horrible this must look. For him to break down, crying, in the middle of class like that. And over what?

Nothing.

He swallows the lump in his throat, glancing back at the stunned woman who's still waiting for an explanation. He sheepishly returns to his seat, his face beet red.

"M-My sincerest apologies…Ms. Howard…" he mumbles, covering his mouth, "I…I must have…imagined it…"

"Are you alright?" he glances at her, finding her looking at him in deep concern, "Perhaps you should see the guidance counselor?"

"N…No…" Edd shakes his head, folding his hands together, "I'll be okay. Please…pardon my interruption and continue with your class. It…It won't happen again."

For a moment, she merely regards him with uncertainty. She wants to help, but doesn't even know what's upset him. Reluctantly, she returns to the front of the class to continue.

Edd completely tunes her out, staring at his hands. He _had_ seen that…hadn't he? It…was real…wasn't it? Then why hadn't the others seen him? He wants to tell her – to reveal his distress to a rational adult who will calm his fears and keep him safe. But what could she really do? No one else had seen Terry but him. With this knowledge, he relents that he has little option but to ignore it. If anything, he can address it later. Best not to interrupt class again.

So much for a good first impression…

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Hope to see you all in the next chapter!_


	2. Don't Let the Edd out of the Bag

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoxKouga: So here we are with chapter 2…Enjoy…_

 _Battygirl: Ah…my dear cowriter has been having a kind've…rough go of things…Anyway, I don't really have much else to say about this chapter either. We hope you like it._

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Don't Let the Edd out of the Bag**

* * *

After his advanced class, Edd reluctantly makes his way to the gymnasium. The ever dreaded, mandatory gym class is next. He'll be in the company of his fellow Eds, at least, but that offers little solace for a class that truly tortures him. There are a few whispers around him as he stops at his locker to drop off the books from his earlier classes. He does his best to ignore them. They have no right to talk about him or what happened, but he certainly has no power to put a stop to it. Instead, he keeps his head down and retreats to the gym.

If Edd remembers correctly, the first day of gym _rarely_ involves any actual 'activity' and typically consists solely of reading over a syllabus to acquaint the students with how things will be run. _Kind of like Ms. Howard's class_ …he notes bitterly. It's today that they'll learn what is to be expected of them and whether or not their gym uniforms will require anything in particular. It hadn't been the case any other year, but the teacher's name is one he doesn't recognize among the regular faculty, leading him to believe the man may be new to the school itself and thereby have different rules than his predecessors. He can only try to prepare for anything.

As he enters the gym, he finds it heavily crowded with students, indicating a fairly large class. Squeezing his way past a few people, he finds Ed and Eddy near the bleachers. Heaving a relieved sigh, he approaches them.

"Greetings, fellows!" he calls as he comes within earshot.

"Double D, are you okay?!" Ed cries as he jumps up and snatches Edd off the ground.

"E-Ed!" Edd gasps as he's pulled into a bear hug, "P-Put me down!"

"Calm down, Monobrow…" Eddy orders, patting Ed's back. When Edd's safely on the ground again, Eddy addresses him instead. "What the heck, Double D? Word around school is you were freakin' out in class or something?!"

Edd's startled to hear this — that word had spread so quickly. He hears the hushed murmurs behind him and glances back to see people staring at him, only to look away when their eyes meet. He sighs as he recognizes a few faces from his previous class.

He turns back to Eddy, brow furrowed. He considers telling Eddy the truth. His dearest friends wouldn't mock him for his fears and paranoia, right? They would take his situation seriously…wouldn't they?

He chastises himself internally for daring to think that. Of course they wouldn't. They'd probably tell him he was upset over nothing. That there's no way Terry would have appeared and Edd's foolish for getting so riled up. With a sigh, he shakes his head.

"I…It's nothing, Eddy…" he answers, "I was so excited for our return to school that…well, that I didn't get enough sleep last night. I suppose, while Ms. Howard was explaining her syllabus, I may have begun daydreaming…or having a nightmare…" His brows furrow as he searches for the right word. "Daymare?" He shrugs, giving up on that futile task. "Well, what have you."

Eddy doesn't look too convinced; "You sure you're okay?"

"I assure you I am, Eddy," Edd answers, refusing to give him much else to chew on.

The shorter boy looks him over carefully. He wants to push for more. He has a sneaking suspicion this has something to do with his brother somehow, given Edd's discomfort. However…

He keeps his mouth shut. Edd's been improving steadily over the past few months. Recovering slowly, but surely. Eddy doesn't want to make his friend relapse by even _mentioning_ the man who had caused him so much agony. He has a nasty feeling it'd only make things worse.

Their conversation is silenced anyway as the teacher steps into the gym, calling everyone to gather round so he can discuss his syllabus for the year. Eddy keeps an eye on Edd, watching the range of reactions he's used to seeing during the class itself. Anxiety, dread, and a weary acceptance. He feels sympathy for him, having never liked the class himself, and reaches out a hand to take the one Edd holds, shaking, at his side. They're far enough in the back of the group that it should go unnoticed and he's glad to say that Edd's shaking ceases at the contact.

Eddy smiles some, taking it as a sign that the day _should_ improve.

* * *

The remainder of their classes pass without incident. By the end of the day, Eddy's back to his old self; complaining about how boring class had been and the few teachers who'd decided to saddle them with homework. It's a refreshing sight, Edd finds, and proves to be a pleasant distraction for his thoughts. He also hadn't had another…'episode' since this morning, which he hopes is indicative that it had been a fluke.

As the boys walk down the sidewalk, they chat absentmindedly.

"So, you guys stoked to hang out with 'ol Shovel Chin later on?" he asks with a smirk.

"Oh boy-oh boy!" Ed cries, "Jawbreakers!"

He runs around the two excitedly, chanting the word 'jawbreakers' over and over. Edd rolls his eyes a bit, but laughs softly at the other boy's antics. Eddy turns to him.

"How 'bout you, Sockhead?" he asks, "Or do you have to go to therapy today?"

Edd deflates at the question, nodding his head sorrowfully.

"I'm afraid so…" he relents, "It shouldn't last too terribly long…He wants to meet up with me at the beginning and end of every week now that I'm back in school to check on my…" he sighs, "my progress…"

Eddy observes him carefully, spotting the uncomfortable look on his face.

"Y'know…me and Ed could walk you there…" he offers, "Better than goin' alone, right?"

Edd glances at him, startled; "Really?"

Ed's stopped running around them and has even stopped following them entirely. Edd and Eddy glance back at him, confused.

"Aww!" the tallest boy whines, "I can't go, Eddy! My mom says I gotta babysit Sarah today!"

Edd and Eddy share a look before returning their attention to Ed.

"Don't worry about it, Monobrow," Eddy assures him, running over and smacking him on the back, "It ain't gonna be all day or nothin'."

"That's correct, Ed," Edd joins them at Ed's side, opposite Eddy, "We can meet up again later on."

"Yeah!" Eddy cheers, "We'll meet up after Double D's therapy and head on over to Kev's! How's that sound?"

They're snatched up suddenly in Ed's arms as he cheers.

"Yay!" he cries, "Together again we three shall be!"

Edd giggles as Ed jumps up and down with them, pleased by this decision. After he's calm again, they continue on their way. Eventually, they must part ways. Ed, of course, continues along the path towards the cul-de-sac, while Edd and Eddy make their way toward the main street of shops and businesses. As they walk, they attempt to fill the silence left by Ed's departure with conversation.

"So…how's this therapy goin' anyway?" Eddy asks, glancing to his companion, "You likin' it okay?"

Edd sighs; "Well…yes and no…"

"Whatdya mean?"

"Don't misunderstand…" Edd begins carefully, "While it's helped greatly to confess things with a rational adult who actually listens, it…it doesn't help that…well…" he rubs the back of his neck, brow furrowed in discomfort. "He doesn't always…keep what we discuss to himself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means he makes it a point to inform my parents of what I reveal to him," Edd explains, "I'm afraid he and my parents are old friends. I believe they chose him specifically to learn more about what happened without confronting me directly about it. So…I haven't felt as comfortable talking about things with him as of late."

Eddy grimaces; "That's bullshit. Can he really do that?"

"Normally, no," Edd shrugs, "But I'm underage. I have a feeling that our sessions aren't as private as they might be were I a legal adult."

"That still sucks…"

"Yes, I'm not very fond of the situation myself," Edd agrees, "I'd prefer Mother and Father to remain ignorant of what…of what Terry did to me…but I can do little about it."

His gaze is locked on the ground as his pace slows. It really does hurt to know he cannot confide in anyone about what he's been through, at least not without receiving patronizing looks and replies. He wants someone to listen and understand, but…without the condescension.

He's startled some as a hand takes his own. He glances to his left, where Eddy walks beside him. The shorter boy has grabbed his hand. He gives it a comforting squeeze, but says nothing. Edd smiles a little. Just what he wanted…

They pass the candy store, drawing Eddy's attention.

"Hey, maybe we can stop in on our way back?" he offers slyly, jabbing his thumb towards the door as they continue along.

"Perhaps…" Edd shrugs, "Have you any money?"

"Well, I was thinkin' we'd just…y'know…look around or…something…" Eddy mumbles, shoulders hunched.

"That could be nice," Edd agrees, "If that's what you want…?"

Eddy shrugs; "Eh…How much farther is this place?"

"Not much farther," Edd assures him.

Indeed, about a block later, they approach the building. They walk in together and Eddy releases his grip on Edd's hand. While Edd signs in, Eddy plops himself down into one of the chairs in the waiting room. Edd joins him shortly after, setting his bag beside him.

"Would you mind watching this for me?" he asks, "I won't be long. About an hour…" A quick glance at the uninterested expression on his friend's face has Edd's shoulders slumping in disappointment. "Or, well, you don't…you don't _have_ to stay."

"It's fine, Sockhead," Eddy retorts in a dismissive tone, "I'll stay."

Edd pouts a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. The door opens near the receptionist's desk and a man steps out.

"Hello again, Eddward," he greets in a warm tone, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Doctor Underwood…" Edd sighs back, turning to the man. He glances back at Eddy, waving, "I'll be back…"

Eddy gives a half-hearted wave back as Edd follows the good doctor down the hall.

Upon arriving in the spacious office, Dr. Underwood gestures to the couch in the room.

"Have a seat," he offers, "And we'll get started."

Reluctantly, Edd settles onto the couch. The man takes a seat in a comfortable-looking chair and picks up a pen and a pad of paper.

"So, Eddward," he begins slowly, "How are you feeling today?"

Edd shrugs; "Well enough…I suppose…"

"Is there anything you would like to discuss?"

Edd shifts a bit; "Not…Not particularly, no…"

"Are you certain?"

Edd doesn't respond, drawing the man to continue.

"I was contacted by your school's guidance counselor today," he informs the boy, "She said one of your teachers came to her to report an incident you had in class? She said you were very distressed."

Edd bows his head. Of course…

"I…may have had an episode earlier," he explains, "During my advanced class I…I thought…I thought I saw…Terry standing outside of the school."

Doctor Underwood looked to him seriously; " Did anyone else see him?"

"No," Edd answered, fidgeting a bit, "No one…They all thought I was crazy or something…"

The man calms a bit.

"I don't believe you should worry," he assures the boy, "The first day of school is always quite stressful after a long summer. And to be starting these new, more advanced classes is likely only compounding that stress."

Edd sighs a bit; "Are you going to tell me that returning to school was a bad thing?"

"Not at all," Underwood replies, "I'm just saying that it's normal for a child in your situation to experience a flashback like that in times of great stress. And it certainly doesn't make you crazy."

"You're not going to tell Mother and Father to keep me out of school, are you?"

"No no," Underwood replies, "If you're comfortable with it, I certainly encourage you to stay in school. Just be careful not to over stress yourself."

Edd averts his gaze. He hopes the man is right. He can't bear to have another incident like that happen during class. Once was quite embarrassing enough.

"Have you been experiencing anything else in regards to what this man did to you?" Underwood asks, attempting to gingerly breach the subject.

Edd tenses some. There are things he really _should_ discuss…The dreams. The key. The odd…emotions he's been feeling that he can't quite place. He bites his lip a bit.

"No…" he replies, "Nothing before today…"

He can't tell him. To know the man would share what he'd been told with his parents…To know they would learn about the dreams he's been having and the secret of the key he's been hiding…To know he's been feeling things even he doesn't understand for a man who treated him like a sex toy…It would be far too much to bear.

"Very well," the man relents, "Then perhaps we can move on to a few exercises…"

Edd glances at him as the man stands to retrieve something from his desk. He swallows the lump in his throat, trying to steel his nerve. He'd have to be careful with his answers to avoid arousing suspicion. He sits up a bit as the man returns and sits back in his chair.

"I have a few images I'd like you to look at," he explains, "And you'll tell me what you think of them…"

Edd sighs. _More of this…?_ He reluctantly prepares himself as he's shown the first card.

* * *

Edd walks beside Eddy, looking melancholy. They'd decided to forgo the visit to the candy store, hoping to just get home and relax for the rest of the day.

"So…what'd you talk about…?" Eddy asks curiously.

Edd shrugs; "Nothing important…He asked me about what happened at school and… that's about it…"

"What…What _did_ happen at school?" Eddy asks, brow furrowed, "I mean, what made you freak out like that?"

"It's nothing, Eddy…" Edd sighs back, "At least according to Doctor Underwood, it's nothing…Just…a flashback…"

"What do you mean?" Eddy asked, "What made you have a flashback?"

"He thinks I'm stressed…"

"About what?"

"He says the beginning of the school year might have made me feel more stressed than I was expecting. That's all."

"Are you sure you wanna stay in school, then?" Eddy scoffs, "Seems like, if you're just gonna freak out like this, you're better off staying at home."

"I'm fine, Eddy," Edd groans, "It was _one_ time. I'm sure this won't happen again."

Eddy gives him a hard look before relenting with a sigh.

"Well, since you need to relax more, you wanna head on over to Kev's?"

Edd grimaces, looking away.

"Not particularly…" he grumbles, "I actually need to head home anyway. I have something important to take care of."

"What is it? A long ass list of chores?"

"Something like that…"

They arrive at Edd's home and walk inside. To Eddy's surprise, he's met with the plethora or sticky notes.

"What the hell is this?!" he snaps, "I thought your parents were easing up on this?!"

"They were…" Edd replies with a sigh, "But Mother and Father both believe that my progress indicates that they can return to their original work schedule again. Granted, the sticky notes are more recent…"

"So what, they just decided one day that they could just leave you alone again?" Eddy demands as Edd sets his bag down in the kitchen, "Just like that?"

"Oh heavens no," Edd replies, "Mother was most reluctant to do any of that."

"So…why are they back to doing this bullshit…?"

"Well, about a week ago, my therapist suggested that I should be given more space," Edd explains, "He says that, because I'm progressing so nicely, it means I can have more…'freedom'."

Eddy observes him carefully, spotting the hurt on his face and the sorrow in his tone. He really _does_ need to relax.

"Hey…" he mumbles, patting Edd's back, "C'mon, let's go find Ed…That'll make you feel better, right?"

"Yes," Edd agrees, nodding, "That would be best…But you should go on ahead. Like I said, I have a few things I need to take care of here first."

"Aw, c'mon, Edd…" Eddy pouts, "Can't you finish that later?"

"My apologies, Eddy," Edd shrugs, "It shouldn't take too long. Why don't you go get Ed and…and I'll try to be ready by the time you get back."

Eddy sighs; "Alright, alright…But hurry up, will ya?"

"Of course…"

Edd escorts Eddy to the door and sees him out. He waits a moment after the door has closed before turning and racing upstairs. One thing he _must_ do first is take care of his laundry. Grabbing the soiled pajamas from where he'd hidden them, he rushes back out of the room. He considers for a moment to take his laundry shoot short cut, but decides against it. He has a feeling that it might not be wise to risk it at the moment.

He reaches the basement and approaches the washing machine. Biting back his shame, he loads his clothes into the machine before setting it to wash. With that done, he retreats back upstairs to wait for Eddy.

* * *

He turns from the window, searching desperately for someone to help him. His eyes go wide upon finding the room empty — abandoned. He stands up, startled. Glancing back at the window. Terry's walking away from the tree towards the school.

Panic courses through Edd's body. He darts from the chair, past the other desks in the room in his mad dash for the door.

" _HELP!_ " he screams, " _Please!_ Someone help me!"

No answer but the echoing of his own voice. He races down the hallway, peeking into the various rooms. The school is abandoned, as though the students and teachers have vanished. Tears are falling fast down his face as he runs down the hall. Longer and longer it seems. It never ends. Down one corridor. Turning a corner. But never finding stairs or even a teacher to protect him. His legs are failing him. His chest is heaving as he comes to a slow stop, panting heavily.

As though the man had been at his back the entire time, his large, rough hands grab him around his middle, drawing a gasp and a choked scream from him.

"No!" he shrieks, as he dragged away, "No! Let me _go!_ "

He tries to kick and writhe, but to no avail. He hears Terry kick open a door to his right. Edd glances up, his heart dropping at the sight of a bed. Not that! Not _that!_

Before he can protest further, he's shoved into the room and onto said bed. The door is locked quickly before Terry is upon him. He thrashes and screams.

"Let me go!" he sobs, "Stop! Please!"

A kiss silences him, making him whimper in the back of his throat. Rough hands quickly rid him of his clothing. Skin hits skin soon enough, making Edd weep in despair at the futility of his struggles. Lips latched to his neck, sucking the familiar marks into his flesh. Fingers teasing him, probing him — making him squirm. He tries so hard to fight it, screaming against the man's lips.

His writhing ceases when the man enters him. Held in place, able to move only slightly, but he tries not to move at all. It's too much agony for him to do so. Terry leans in to whisper into the boy's ear.

"Mm…you like that, Princess…?" he hisses, "I know you do…"

Edd's whimpering slowly fades into moans. He leans into the kisses peppered along his neck and jaw. Terry's name slips past his lips more times than he can count with each thrust of the man's hips. His eyes flutter open moments later and he gasps.

There are several figures surrounding the bed. Faces he knows and loves. Nazz and Kevin. Ms. Howard and Dr. Underwood. His mother and father. Ed…Eddy…

They're doing nothing to stop what they're witnessing. All he receives are sorrowful looks. Pitiful. Patronizing. Feigning an understanding of something they could never even _dream_ of comprehending. Edd whimpers as he looks around at each of them, shame welling up in his chest that they would see him in this state and anger bleeding in when he realizes they're letting it happen.

"Please…" he sobs, "H-Help me…"

No response. Just stares. Chuckling draws his attention back to his captor. Terry's gazing down at him with a vicious, knowing smirk.

"See that, Princess…?" he purrs, leaning close, "They don't give a _fuck_ about you…" Closer still, their lips nearly touching. "…like I do…"

* * *

Edd bolts upright, heart pounding in his panic. Looking around the room, he realizes again where he is. Not some abandoned, nightmare school, but in his own bedroom, in his own home. He breathes a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. Reluctantly, he glances down past his waist, knowing what to expect. _Of course…_

His breathing is shaky as lies back again. He's grown so weary of this…Too weary to retreat to the bathroom. Pulling the covers up over himself and turning away from the door, he closes his eyes. He lets his hands trail down his body. Imagining Terry's hands upon him, tracing their known path along his flesh. His fingers graze his arousal and he flinches. Deep breaths as he slips his hand beneath the waistband of his pants and underwear and as he wraps his fingers around his cock. With his other hand, he massages small circles into his skin, moaning softly as he imagines Terry's lips instead.

 _You like that…don't you, Princess…?_

He licks his lips, his mouth feeling dry.

"Y…Yes…" he stutters as softly as he can, "I…I do…Terry…"

He bites his pillow, trying to contain his moans as he strokes himself. Rubbing down his neck to his chest. Imagining Terry's voice whispering into his ear. Those cold words, so cruel in their execution because of how true they really are…

 _Tell me you want me, Princess…_

Edd says nothing, his hand moving faster in his desperate bid for release.

 _Say it. I want to hear you say it._

Tears burning his eyes.

"Yes…" he murmurs through his panting.

 _Yes, what…?_

"I…I want…you…"

A moan just a bit too loud slips past his lips, interrupting him. He slaps his free hand over his mouth, hoping his parents hadn't heard.

But he doesn't stop. So close. He's so close…!

"T-Terry…" he whimpers softly behind his hand, "P-Please…"

In his fantasy, Terry leans into his ear, lips brushing the flesh there as teeth nip sensually at the shell.

 _Cum for me, my little Princess…_

He bites sharply down into his palm in a futile effort to muffle the groan of pleasure as it's torn from him. Stars exploding behind his eyelids, shut tight as his orgasm shakes him. Picturing Terry chuckling as he looms over him, caressing his hips.

 _Very good, sweetheart…_

Edd doesn't fight the tears when they come, falling mercilessly down his cheeks. How shameful can he be? To allow the memories of that horrid man's touch bring him such unfathomable pleasure. To yearn for that touch again and again. He dreads its meaning. What's wrong with him…?

He sits up slowly, head bowed in shame. He glances to his nightstand where the key is resting. With shaking hands, he picks it up. Looking over it, he feels something he can't describe. Anxiety, sure. Worry that it could imply the man's return. But…something else…

He wonders, vaguely, _why_ he'd not seen any sign of Terry since then. If he'd been in the hospital that night…why leave him? Why leave this to torment him? It's now he acknowledges that he's mostly…confused. Longing for answers he wishes so _badly_ to acquire. But he has no idea where he can get them.

He feels the familiar itch of uncleanliness accost him in that moment and sighs, realizing he needs to get up and deal with his mess.

Rising from the bed, he wanders over to his dresser to retrieve a new pair of pants and underwear. He changes quickly, cleaning his skin with tissues on his nightstand as well, in an effort to get back to sleep as quickly as possible. He folds the soiled clothes and moves to his closet. He can hide them here for the night. Regret and shame color his features and drive a wave of sickness through him. He's not sure how much longer he can keep doing this…

As he stands, he glances over the clothes hanging on the rack. Something catches his eye. Something that should be there, but isn't. Brow furrowed, he pushes a few articles aside, eyes searching for the white and red. The uniform he'd worn to assist the school nurse…He could've sworn he'd hung it up, hadn't he? He ponders over it carefully. Or perhaps he'd left it at the school the previous year?

With a sigh, he decides to let it go for now, returning to his bed. He can ask the nurse tomorrow. Best not to let it trouble him now. Best to rest so as not to have a repeat performance in class.

* * *

 _Battygirl: See you in the next chapter._


	3. Add Insult to Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: We're back!…Again! Not much else to say except…review! Please give us some feedback!_

 _Battygirl: Here we are with chapter 3! And I gotta say, we're not thrilled with the response. Or, rather, lack thereof. C'mon, people! We wanna know what you think! Please, don't forget to leave a review! We won't know if we're doing well or not unless you guys let us know!_

 _Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Add Insult to Edd**

* * *

Days pass and Edd's already frayed nerves are wearing more and more. Still no sign of his nurse garb. The school nurse doesn't seem to have it either. He wonders if it was misplaced somewhere, but quickly abandons any thought regarding it. It's the least of his worries.

Everywhere he goes, he sees Terry nearby. He tries so hard to ignore him. _So_ hard to pretend he's not there.

It's not easy.

Out the window at school, always the same place at the same time. After what happened that first day, he tries his hardest to not react more than turning away, shaking when he spots the man. Eyes darting back every so often to see if he's still there. Heart pounding in terror and reflex trying to make him bolt from his seat.

By now, Edd's stopped daring to even _glance_ that way.

He sees the man among crowds of people they pass on their way to and from school. Never speaking, barely moving. Just watching him. Edd's tried to make Eddy see. Grabbing his arm, not bothering to fight the tears as he begs Eddy to turn around and look. Unable to articulate just _what_ he wants his friend to see, for fear of the boy not believing without seeing first. To no avail. When he'd turn back to point the man out, he finds him already gone, leading Eddy to suggest he's too stressed and to go home and rest. Of course, he hadn't seen. Neither had Ed. More and more, Edd finds himself questioning his own sanity. Whether his eyes are deceiving him or not.

The dreams are getting worse too…

So much more vivid than ever before. His incessant need rousing him in the middle of the night. He wants to talk to someone — _anyone_ about them. To figure out what's wrong with him. To make it stop.

Of course, he doesn't dare. He can see the reactions now. Horror, disgust, grief…shame. How dare he dream of this man? How dare he receive pleasure from the memories of his touch? How foolish could he be? No. There's no possible way he could tell anyone.

Besides…he's having even bigger problems on top of all _that_ …

Everyone at school has begun treating him differently within this first week. In each of his classes, he receives sad looks from many of his classmates, each of whom offer him words he thinks are supposed to be comforting.

 _Are you okay?_

 _I'm so sorry…_

 _If you ever need anything…_

The pandering words had spread from their small circle to the entire group like a virus. What he didn't understand, of course, is what happened to cause this awful shift.

To make matters worse, there are those select students at the opposite end of the spectrum. In several classes, he's become the target of a number of the typical classroom bullying. Spit wads to the back of the head — which he must painstakingly scrub out of his hat between classes — flicks to the ear, uncomfortable jabs to his back. It's never anything he isn't already accustomed to — intelligence, he'd learned early on, always comes with a price. No, none of that really bothers him.

It's the names.

 _Freak._

 _Slut._

 _Whore._

Those cruel, hateful words spoken just loud enough for him to hear, but just soft enough to go undetected by their teachers. Words that speak of a knowledge of something they should not have. Words found plastered over his locker when he'd come to school which he'd then have to frantically scrub away before Ed or Eddy could see. He couldn't bear them to catch even a glimpse of the foul words written there.

Though he probably doesn't need to fret too much. His dear 'friends' hardly seem to notice what he's been dealing with. Their focus has remained on their beloved peers during school hours. As irritating as he finds it, he chooses not to bring it up to either of them. It's of no consequence during school.

He does, however, seriously consider approaching a teacher for assistance so that they can put a stop to the abuse from his classmates. The more he considers it, though, the more he realizes the futility of that endeavor. Just making them aware of the bullying wouldn't make it stop. If anything, it might even make things worse — make the bullies double their efforts to torment him in more creative, less detectable ways to spite him and authority.

As it turns out, though, he doesn't need to do _anything_ to make that happen…

Friday. The end of a _very_ rough week back. He exits the showers and returns to his locker, clad only in a towel. His panting has finally waned from the overexertion of his class and his breathing has returned to normal. He didn't _want_ to make any assumptions about this new teacher, but he can safely assert that he doesn't like him. The man acts more like a drill sergeant than a gym teacher and takes no sympathy towards the athletically challenged, making the class that much more unbearable.

Edd's already plotting how he may get out of the class.

Ed and Eddy are in their underwear already, in the midst of a towel-snapping war. As Edd dresses, modestly using a towel for cover, he glances back at had been granted ten minutes at the end of the class to shower before the bell would ring, but at the rate the two of them are going, they'll still be late to lunch.

"Must you two indulge in that immature game?" he sighs.

"Lighten up Sockhead," Eddy scoffs, casting him a sly look, "Me and Ed are just havin' a lil fu— _yeowch!_ "

He's interrupted as Ed snaps the towel at his backside, making him jump. Eddy whips around, glaring as Ed laughs. He gives him a mischievous grin.

"Aw! You've done it now, Burrhead!" he announces in a determined tone.

Ed cries out in fear, turning to run as Eddy advances on him. Before they can get too far, the teacher barges in.

" _Hey!_ " he screams, "No horsing around in here or you only get _five_ minutes!"

Edd shakes his head as his friends reluctantly return to their own lockers. The man leaves, grumbling about 'those two troublemakers…' as the door shuts behind him. Ed and Eddy dress quickly enough and turn to wait for Edd who is sitting on the bench to tie his shoes.

" _C'mon_ Sockhead!" Eddy demands, "I'm fuckin' starving!"

"Belly's empty Double D!" Ed whines.

"I'll be done in a moment, gentlemen," Edd sighs back, "Go on ahead if you're so hungry…"

"Ugh!" Eddy groans in frustration before forcing himself to calm with a sigh, "Nah, we'll wait, but we'll be out in the hall. Hurry it up, will ya?"

"Very well," Edd shrugs, focusing on his laces.

He hears the two walk away and the door open and close behind them. As he finishes tying his shoes, he hears someone walk near him, but ignores it. Someone walking out of the locker room, most like. He sits up straight, keeping his gaze low as he grabs his bag and lifts it over his shoulder.

" _Hey, Princess._ "

He tenses at the greeting. His throat is dry as he glances up. He's relieved for a moment to find the speaker to have been a fellow student, but finds little comfort in the three boys standing before him. He swallows uncomfortably.

"Wh…What did you call me?" he stutters, trying not to shake.

"That's what you _like_ to be called, isn't it?" the leader asks with a smug look as he steps closer, "Whenever that guy would touch you…"

Edd's heart drops. He hunches his shoulders, knuckles white as he grips the strap on his bag tightly.

"I…I'm afraid I've no idea what you're referring to…" he states in a strained tone, "Y-You must be mistaken."

The boys laugh in response. Edd rises to his feet, eyes darting back and forth from the boys to the door.

"Um…I-If you'll excuse me, please," he murmurs, "I-I should really be going…"

One of the boys shoves him back down. The bench catches the backs of his legs, knocking him off balance and sending him to the floor. They laugh again.

"What's your hurry, faggot?" the main boy mocks, "Off to go meet up with that creep?"

"I-It's lunchtime…" Edd stutters back, "I-I need to go e-eat."

"Yeah, I bet I know what you're hungry for," one of the boys snickers.

The boys laugh, making Edd shiver.

"Wh-Whatever it is you're insinuating…" he says in a shaking voice, pushing himself to stand, "Y-You're sorely mistaken…"

"Shut up, slut!" the leader demands, shoving him again.

The metal of the lockers bites his flesh, making him whimper in pain. He can feel a handle pressing painfully into his back, but can do nothing against it as he's held in place.

"P-Please!" he begs, "What do you want?"

"I told you to shut up, _freak_ ," the boy growls cracking his knuckles, "Little creep…What do you _think_ we're gonna do? You think we're gonna fuck you? Like he did…?"

Edd grabs the edges of his hat, pulling it down over his face; " _Please_ stop!"

"What's _wrong?_ " one of the boys coos in a mocking tone, "You gonna try and pretend you didn't like it?"

"Bullshit," the leader scoffs, "Why else would you let some creepy adult do those things to you?"

Edd can feel himself hyperventilating, panic taking him as they needle him.

"You're fuckin' sick," he hears the boy snarl, raising his clenched his fists, "But we can fix that…"

Edd cringes, pressing himself harder against the locker in a desperate attempt to brace himself against what's to come. He feels a hand grab the front of his shirt, jerking him forward slightly.

" _Hey!_ "

He lifts the hat a bit, peeking out from beneath the fabric to spot his savior. Eddy is running towards the group, looking angry.

"Fuck off, shrimp," the leader guffaws, stopping the smaller boy before shoving him away.

" _Conner!_ "

They're all startled by the voice of their teacher, now standing at the door. Ed's behind him, looking panicked. He slips past the man and rushes over to help Eddy to his feet.

"What do you think you're doing, Conner?!" the man demands.

"Nothing!" the leader stutters back, "W-We were just—"

"Y'know what? I _don't_ wanna hear it!" the man snaps back, "Principal's office. _Now_."

The boy's grumble a little, releasing Edd and turning to the door. Conner glances back at Edd with a grimace before storming off after his friends. Ed grabs hold of Edd, hugging him tight.

"Oh, Double D! We were so worried!"

Edd doesn't respond, still reeling. Their teacher glances at him.

"You okay, kid?" he asks.

Edd nods almost robotically. He opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the bell ringing. The man sighs.

"Alright, you three get to the cafeteria," he orders, opening the door for them, "I'll see you on Monday…"

Eddy glances at Edd.

"C'mon guys…" he mumbles, placing his hand on Ed's back to usher him along.

Ed continues to cling to Edd as they walk, worried for his friend who's still shaking. As they make their way to the cafeteria, Eddy turns to speak to Edd.

"What happened back there, Sockhead?" he asks, "Why were those assholes picking on you?"

"I…I d-don't understand…" Edd whimpers, more to himself than to answer Eddy, "H-How do they…How do they know about that…?"

"Know about what…?" Eddy asks uneasily.

Edd doesn't answer, mumbling incoherently. They lead him over to an empty table and he takes a seat, his breathing still uneven. Ed and Eddy watch him carefully, not knowing what to do.

"Hey…me and Ed are gonna go get somethin' to eat…" Eddy decides, "You just…wait here, okay?"

Edd nods, showing he's listening. He's too lost in thought to do much else.

How did they know about Terry? How did they know about what happened to him? It starts to click why the other students had been treating him the way they have. The patronizing tones and looks, the hateful words that have been thrown at him. Finally, it makes sense…but _how do they know?!_

Ed keeps an eye on Edd as they walk to the end of the line. Nazz and Kevin are walking away from the register with their food, chatting amongst themselves. When she notices them, she flashes them a sweet smile.

"Hey guys," she greets before glancing around, "Like, where's Double D?"

"At the table…" Eddy answers distractedly, "He's uh…havin' kind've a bad day."

"Oh no, dude, really…?" Nazz pouts.

"Yeah…" Eddy rubs the back of his neck, "Anyway, me and Ed are gonna get our food. You guys wanna sit with us?"

"Sure," Nazz agrees for them, leading the way.

"See you at the table," Kevin shrugs as he follows.

Eddy grabs Ed's shirt, urging him to keep walking to the end of the line.

Kevin and Nazz, meanwhile, arrive at Edd's table. The boy is tugging his hat down over his face, fighting to understand what's happened. He hardly notices that the two have sat down.

That is, until Nazz speaks.

"Hey Double D…" she coos gently, "You okay?"

"Ugh, no. I'm _not_ ," he snaps back, adjusting his hat back properly onto his head.

"Wh-What's wrong?" she asks, unsure _how_ to react.

"Yeah, chill out, man," Kevin comments, "What's your damage?"

"My 'damage'?" Edd mocks, "I'll _tell_ you what my 'damage' is. I was just attacked in the gym locker room!"

"What?!" Nazz gasps.

"The heck are you talkin' about?" Kevin gawks.

"This group of thugs cornered me in the locker room," Edd explains, rubbing his forehead, "Calling me such…horrible things and…mocking me…They knew what Terry did to me and were mocking me for it…"

Nazz grows tense at this revelation.

"I don't understand…" he muses aloud, "They even knew what he _called_ me…How do they know about that? How could they… _possibly_ know about that?"

Biting her lip, Nazz shifts a little in her seat.

"Um…w-well…I…I guess that's my fault…" she mumbles.

Edd's startled by that and he turns to her.

"Excuse me?"

"Well…" Nazz pauses, trying to think of how to word this, "The first day back…a bunch of people from class were, like, asking why you were acting weird. So…I tried to explain what happened so that…y'know…people wouldn't say anything to…I dunno, trigger your trauma or something…"

"Y-You…" Edd's at a lost for words for several moments.

The next thing he knows, his mind is clouded by a haze of anger. He jumps to his feet, turning to her fully.

"How _dare_ you?!" he demands, his voice louder and more hateful than ever before, "What on _earth_ gives you the right do tell _anyone_ about what happened to me?! I mean, really! How _stupid_ can you possibly be?!"

"Woah, not cool, man!" Kevin retorts, standing as well.

" _Stay out of this!_ " Edd snarls back before turning his attention back to Nazz, "What's the _matter_ with you?! How could you _possibly_ think that that was okay?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Double D…" she shrugs shyly, "I…I didn't want anyone accidentally saying something to upset you…"

"Oh I see," Edd growls, "But it's okay for them to do so on _purpose_?"

"That's _not_ what I meant," Nazz tries to reason with him, "I just…I know what happened to you was really awful and…and I didn't want anyone to make that trauma worse."

"Would you _stop_ that?!" Edd snaps, "I'm so _sick_ of you constantly treating me like something fragile because of my 'trauma'! I am _not_ my trauma! I am _not_ what he did to me! And you had _no_ right to tell _anyone_ about _any_ of that!"

By now, they've gained a bit of a crowd. Students who stand around them, watching in shock as the normally composed and pacifistic Edd loudly berates sweet Nazz.

" _Double D!_ " Edd turns at the sound of Eddy's voice, "What the heck are you doing?! Quit talking to her like that!"

"Do _not_ defend her!" Edd snarls back, glancing at them, "This needs to be said!" He redirects his attention to Nazz. "I can't believe I _ever_ thought you were worth my time! Or _anyone_ else's for that matter! Had I known you'd be _so_ selfish and _stupid,_ I'd never have given you the time of _day_! If you _really_ want to help me, then _leave me alone!_ "

Across the lunchroom, the Kankers have taken notice of the ruckus. Marie is the first to arrive on the scene. She's certainly startled by what she sees. The Edd she knew and adored is absent, replaced instead by a boy controlled by his anger, fists raised as though ready to strike something. It's a side of Edd she's never seen before, but one she's quite pleased with.

She casts Nazz a snarky grin and approaches Edd, hoping to get in on the action and defend him if need be.

"Hey there, _boyfriend_ ," she coos, throwing her arms around his shoulders, "Need any help?!"

Edd grits his teeth. They'd gone for a long time without dealing with the girls. For the past few months, with the Eds spending the majority of their time with the other kids in the cul-de-sac, the Kankers had, in general, left them alone. At the very least, it had become a rarity for any of them to pester the boys. For Marie to start hanging off of him now only compounds his fury. Balling his fist, he sharply jabs her with his elbow, knocking her off. Marie stumbles back, holding her middle and staring at him in shock.

"Stop calling me that!" he snaps, " I am _not_ your boyfriend and you know it! I hate everything about you! Why can't you comprehend that very simple fact?!"

Marie is shocked for a moment, but it passes quickly enough. Within moments, she looks ready to hit him. Nazz, meanwhile, has started crying. A faculty member finally decides to come over and diffuse the situation. He grabs Edd's arm.

"That's quite enough, Eddward," he asserts, "To the principal's office. Now."

Edd grimaces, but allows the man to lead him away and out of the lunchroom. Ed and Eddy watch, flabbergasted.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" Eddy gawks, "What just happened?!"

"Double Dork freaked out and started yelling at Nazz like some psycho," Kevin snaps back, trying to comfort Nazz.

"What?" Eddy asks in disbelief, "Why?"

"Plank says Nazz blabbed about what happened over the summer," Johnny quips as he stands next to Eddy, "Now the whole school knows what your brother did to him."

"You did _what_?!" Eddy whips around to face Nazz, "Nazz, what the _hell_?! Why would you _do_ that?!Slow _gossip_ day?!"

"I…I was only trying to help…" Nazz blubbers back.

"How is that helping?!" Eddy groans, "Aw man…That definitely explains things…" His eyes narrow as he sends a glare to the girl. "You shouldn't have done that."

"I'm sorry," Nazz pouts, "I didn't mean anything bad by it…"

Eddy sighs; "It's done, I guess…I'll talk to Double D later…It'll probably have to be after school…maybe after his therapy session too…" His tone turns harsh again as he directs his next statement to Nazz. "If I were you, I'd steer clear of him for a while. You're probably the _last_ person he wants to see right now…Well…second to last…But still…"

Nazz nods contritely, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat.

* * *

Edd sits, seething on the couch as Doctor Underwood takes his seat.

"Your guidance counselor called again," he begins, "She said—"

"No, please," Edd dismisses, "Allow me. 'She said I had another incident. This time in the lunchroom and the gym locker room.'" He glares at the man. "Did I miss anything?"

Underwood shifts in his seat, looking less than amused.

"She also said you'd taken a very odd attitude with her," he adds, "And I believe I can see what she means. Would you like to discuss what happened?"

"Why _not?!_ " Edd scoffs, "Mother and Father are completely depleting my college money paying for these sessions. I may as well use their time wisely." He sits up straight. "A group of boys cornered me in the locker room before lunch to openly mock me because a girl from my neighborhood — who is aware of what Terry did to me, by the way — decided to share with the _entire_ school that I was molested. And when she told me this in the cafeteria, I reacted in what I _assert_ was the appropriate way; by giving her a good piece of my mind to make her understand _just_ how wrong she is to have done that. Does that just about cover everything? Have you been 'properly informed'?" The man is writing quickly, drawing Edd to grow more irritated. "Or shall I repeat it more slowly so you can write it down easier?! You wouldn't want to _miss_ anything when you relay all of this to my parents."

Underwood gives him a stern look.

"I'm going to have to ask you to calm down," he demands.

"No!" Edd retorts, "I'm sick and tired of being calm! I was _horribly_ wronged today and I have _every_ right to be upset!"

"That's very true," the man relents, "However, anger will not help. Please, try to calm down."

Edd glares at him, but takes a few deep breaths to make the man believe he's calm.

"Now…" the man continues a moment later, "I sense that this has been building. Is there something else that's upsetting you?"

"Yes," Edd bites back, "You were wrong."

"What do you mean?" the man furrows his brow in confusion, "Wrong about what?"

"About Terry," Edd explains, "I'm still seeing him _everywhere_. No matter where I go or what I do, he's _there_."

"Has anyone else—"

"No! No one else has seen him!" Edd rises to his feet, starting to pace, "Every time I try to make someone else see, he just… _vanishes_ …I don't understand why, but it's not 'stopping'!"

The man doesn't respond right away, looking thoughtful. Edd bristles in the silence.

"Well?!" he demands, "Have you nothing to say to this?!"

With a sigh, Underwood rises to his feet.

"Excuse me for a moment, Eddward," he nods to the boy, "I must make a call…"

Edd glares at his back as the psychiatrist exits the room. Make a call…Of course, the man is referring to calling his parents. He groans a little, tugging at his hat in anger. He stomps around the room, raging at everything and nothing at the same time. He glances out the window, growing tense again.

Across the street, leaning against the building opposite him. That horrible grin on his face. Bringing his hand up to beckon the boy to him, looking pleased. Edd's anger is amplified as he meets Terry's cold, blue eyes. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he brings his hands up to start hitting the glass.

" _LEAVE ME ALONE!_ " he screams, eyes shutting tight against the angry, frustrated tears, "You wretched, horrible man! _Leave me alone!_ "

" _Eddward!_ " he's startled by Underwood's voice speaking so sternly to him. He feels the man's hand grab his shoulder and yank him from the window. "What on _earth_ do you think you're doing?!"

"Outside!" Edd tries to explain, pointing out the window, "T-Terry! He's—"

Looking back again. Gone…of course. Edd turns to the doctor desperately.

" _Please_!" he begs, "You _have_ to believe me! He was _there_! He _was_! I'm _not_ seeing things! I just know it!"

The man shakes his head, sighing.

"I'm sorry, Eddward, but I'm afraid, without any evidence, I cannot believe this," he replies.

" _Why_ would I make this up?!" Edd demands, "Why would I _lie_ about this?! I need _help!_ Please!"

"This is true," the man agrees, "You do indeed need help, Eddward. That's why I'm here." Edd groans some. "I'm here to help you."

"But you won't _believe_ me!"

"As much as I'd _like_ to believe you, Eddward, I'm afraid you've given me no reason to," Underwood explains, "And even if you _are_ seeing these things, if no one else _is_ , it's very indicative that your mind is tricking you."

"That's not _true_ ," Edd starts to weep as the man retrieves a small pad of paper from his desk, "I know it's not!"

"I'm going to prescribe something to help alleviate these hallucinations," the man informs him, "Your parents will be able to pick it up sometime tomorrow."

" _Please_ ," Edd begs, "I don't _want_ medication. I don't _need_ medication!"

"That's enough, Eddward," the man dictates.

Edd's shoulders fall as the man finishes writing. Underwood returns his attention to the boy

"Trust me, Eddward," he smiles some, "This will help you feel better. I promise."

The boy shakes his head, doubting that very much.

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Hope to see you all in the next chapter! Happy Halloween!_


	4. Don't Leave Your Edd On The Doorstep

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Hey we're back again! So I'm going to be absent for the next few publishes of this fic and Bro's Play is going on Hiatus. So please enjoy._

 _Battygirl: We'll be posting an official update of sorts explaining the reason for and nature of the hiatus for our other fic, Bro's Play. A little later, possibly in place of the actual update. But we will let you know what all's goin' on. As for now, we hope you enjoy this chapter.._

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Don't Leave Your Edd On the Doorstep**

* * *

His footsteps are slow and heavy as he walks, head bowed in his sorrow. There are dried tears on his cheeks and a haggard look in his eyes. Edd's grip on his shoulder bag tightens as he fights back another surge of tears.

Medication. He curses his wretched luck. The treatment at school is bad enough. The neglect of his parents and his friends; worse. Now, to have his fears undermined and to be placed on medication for _hallucinations_? He wonders how things could deteriorate any further.

But wait…there's more…He hardly remembers the latter half of his day. He can recall the lunchroom and talking to Kevin and Nazz. He remembers being so…angry. Everything became blurry after that. The next thing he knew, he was standing in his therapist's office, being told he will be put on the medication.

As he nears the cul-de-sac, he slows to a stop. Ed and Eddy are probably waiting for him. However, he's not sure he wants to see them. After…whatever happened in the cafeteria, he's not sure he can face _anyone_ at home. His mind is weighed down with his anxiety as well. He desperately needs to decompress before interacting with anyone.

Biting his lip, he glances down the street he's on. The street right before Rethink Avenue. Rubbing the back of his neck some, Edd turns down the street, hoping to kill some time. As he walks, he spots a dark, abandoned house up ahead. He's struck with a sense of nostalgia as he looks at it.

It had been an…odd day, certainly. What began with a simple, albeit nonsensical scam to sell fake tacos with a dangerously spicy hot sauce, had morphed into an adventure through what Ed had dubbed the 'House of the Haunted' which had eventually ended in a mock wedding between the Eds and the Kankers.

Edd shudders at the memory. In a way, he marvels at how the girls had constructed everything within the house — how resourceful they had been. It certainly doesn't supersede his distaste with the experience in general, however, and he still cringes at the thought of that nightmarish afternoon.

He cannot say, however, that it was _all_ bad. There's one room in the house that he'd come across that he remembers quite fondly. It had been love at first sight, he believes. Books. Shelves upon shelves of glorious literature. He fawns some at the memory. If not for the girls' efforts to trap the three of them, Edd imagines he could have spent hours in that room.

He stops in front of the house, taking in the sight of the dilapidated building. After a year, it still hasn't been demolished and, as far as he's aware, there's no one who's purchased the property. The state of the overgrown yard and unkempt structure itself attests to that. As far as he's aware, the Kankers haven't come around the house for some time either. In fact, they hadn't mentioned their 'wedding day' since then. Perhaps they'd forgotten the event and the location entirely?

He looks around uncomfortably. He still doesn't want to return home just yet…and no one would find him in this place…Taking a deep breath, he cautiously approaches the house. He can almost hear that lovely room calling to him as he slips inside. The door still has no handle, further confirming that there is indeed no new occupant.

Light just barely peeks in through the curtains and the dust caked on the windows, throwing looming, threatening shadows on the dusty walls. It's certainly as creepy as he remembers, but he does his best to ignore his apprehension. There's nothing to be afraid of.

It's just an old, empty house, after all.

Taking a deep breath, he ventures further into the house. He vaguely remembers the room being on the second floor. A glance to the staircase. It looks a bit rickety, but should hold under his light weight. He tests the first step. It creaks loudly beneath his foot, but holds just fine. He sighs in relief before padding his way up the stairs.

The second floor. He looks around, biting his lip. A long hallway. To his left; darkness. To his right, though, a light can be seen coming from one of the rooms. Following that light, he finds the room in question.

It's just as he remembers. Lit only by natural light. Dust covers on the furniture. Edd ventures further into the room. His footsteps are muffled by the layer of dust and the rug beneath his feet. He looks over the floor carefully, spotting the trapdoor near the rolling ladder. Before doing anything else, he investigates the hatch. Nothing inside but cobwebs and darkness. He sighs in relief, closing the door again.

He's alone.

Standing straight, he turns to the covered chair and sets his bag beside it. Finally, he returns his attention to the wall of books. With a blissful sigh, he approaches the shelves. He raises his hand, gently touching the spines as he reads the titles. Most of the books are non-fiction, he discovers. The books themselves seem to be organized by genre, leading Edd to assume the previous owner must have been an intellectual of some sort. How refreshing, he finds, to be in the company of such civility for once.

As he searches for pleasant reading material, he reflects on what's brought him here. His mood plummets in that moment. He's not sure how to handle everything.

"It's not fair…" he murmurs, his eyes welling with tears.

He knows no one can hear him. He doesn't necessarily _want_ anyone to, either. All he needs is to get this out. To vent his frustrations and alleviate his own stress.

"Why…?" he whimpers shakily, "Wh-Why did she have to tell them?" He slightly lowers the hand that had been tracing along the book spines, lost in thought. Turning away from the bookshelf, he starts pacing again. "Is this going to be a normal occurrence for the rest of the year? Am I going to have to be looking over my shoulder every day at school? Waiting for the ax to fall and for one of those _brutes_ to attack me again when I least suspect it? Am I going to have to listen to their vulgar comments throughout the entire _year?_ "

His shoulders fall and he tugs at his hat. His mind is feeling cloudy again, but this time with fear.

"And what about…m-my therapist…?" he stutters, "H-He won't believe me or…or listen to me… _I_ know I'm not crazy…Why can't _he_ see that? And _why_ must he share all of this with my _parents?!_ "

He slumps down onto the chair, drawing his knees up to his chest. It all feels overwhelming. His chest feels tight as his shoulders shake.

"Ed and Eddy…" he starts crying, "I want to talk to them more…and…and _be_ with them more…but half the time, it's like they couldn't care less. They act like they don't _want_ to spend any time with me…unless everyone _else_ is involved at least…It's like spending time just with me doesn't…doesn't 'interest' them anymore…like…like having me around was just…just for Eddy's scams…" He rubs at his eyes, desperately trying to wipe away the tears. "And Mother and Father…I can't talk to them either…even if they _were_ around…They pretend to understand, but they never do."

He holds his head, trying to stop the influx of anguish accosting him.

"I…I just want it to stop…" he sobs, "I want things to go back to normal…"

Hugging his knees to his chest, he stops holding the tears back. Long, painful sobs desperately tear from his chest. All of his pent-up sorrow. All of his fear. The longer he cries, the less heavy his heart feels. So he keeps crying. Sobbing as loud as he can — as long as he can — and feeling safe in his belief that no one will hear.

The haze of despair finally lifts and he raises his head. He looks around, confused, for several minutes. Checking his watch, he's startled by how much time has passed. It's been almost an hour since his therapy session had ended. Someone will surely be looking for him. Drying his tears, he rises from his seat. He grabs his bag before standing straight again.

He smiles a little as he looks around the room. For the first time in ages, he feels at peace. He decides in that moment that he'll have to come back. He beams at the prospect. Finally, he can be alone; surrounded by one of the few things that grants him solace. As he exits the house, he feels much less of a weight upon his shoulders than before. So much less stress. He hasn't a care in the world. Not over his classmates. Not over his therapist. Not even over his dearest friends' and family's neglect.

And certainly not over the eyes following him from one of the windows of the old house as he returns to the sidewalk to continue his way home. Those cold, blue eyes that have been keeping a close watch over him for the past few months.

Terry grins, intrigued by this development. He hadn't been expecting Edd to know about this house. It's one he'd come across when he'd still been living at home. Some old crone had been living here at the time, but, upon his return a few months back, he'd been pleased to discover the place vacant. An excellent little hideaway, if he did say so himself. Granted, he had also had to check into a motel for certain amenities; running water, a refrigerator for his beer, and so on. But the majority of his time had been spent here. Particularly before and after leaving that damn hospital.

The fact remains, however, that he may have to change up his tactics regarding his little Princess. He's certainly not complaining about this turn of events, though. He has a good feeling that this will play into his favor. He'll just have to readjust his strategy.

Regardless, he imagines it won't take _much_ more to push the kid to his breaking point. After that little display he'd made in the room down the hall, it's more than apparent that the boy is close enough as is. He chuckles, watching Edd in perverse delight until the boy is out of his line of sight.

 _This should be fun…_

Finally, Edd nears the cul-de-sac. He spots Eddy approaching him, but pretends he doesn't as he makes a beeline for his front door. Of course, this doesn't deter the shorter boy as Eddy meets him there.

"There you are, Sockhead!" he cries, "Where the hell were you? Did that quack keep you late?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so…" Edd replies robotically, "I'm terribly sorry to have inconvenienced you by making you wait."

Something about the lie felt so natural. He would be concerned, he imagines, had he not felt so burnt out. With a soft sigh, he unlocks the door and steps inside. Eddy follows uneasily.

"Uh…Well, no big deal…" he shrugs back, rubbing the back of his neck. There's an uncomfortable pause between them as Edd sets his belongings down in the kitchen. "Uh…I uh…I'm sorry…" Edd glances at him, confused, so Eddy elaborates. "For what happened in the lunchroom…It wasn't cool for Nazz to tell anyone, but…y'know she didn't meant to hurt you, right?"

Edd scoffs, turning to him fully with a glare.

"Since _when_ was that the point?" he nearly growls, "I don't care _how_ good she _thought_ her intentions were. It doesn't make her actions the _least_ bit acceptable! That wretched little tart had _no_ right to discuss _any_ of my private business with _anyone_. And yet she did. I see _no_ reason to forgive her and I do not intend to."

Eddy's shocked by what he's hearing. He's never heard Edd talk like this. It's incredibly jarring.

"What going on, Double D?" he demands, "Why are you acting like this?"

Edd sighs a bit, his anger waning. He rubs his forehead to fight off the headache.

"I'm sorry…" he murmurs, "I suppose I'm just…very stressed." He takes a seat at the table, holding his head. "After what happened at school, I'm just…not feeling like myself."

"Well, that means you gotta relax, Sockhead," Eddy advises playfully.

"Yes, I suppose that's true…" Edd shrugs, "Perhaps I should rest for a while…" He glances up at Eddy. "I hate to be rude, Eddy, but I think I'd prefer to be alone."

"What?" Eddy pouts, "Aw, c'mon, Edd. It's Friday! Gotta celebrate the start of the weekend, y'know?"

"I don't know about _that…_ "

"It'll be fun!" Eddy asserts, "We'll go pick up Ed, and just hang out for the rest of the day."

Edd averts his eyes, considering it. He bites his lip a bit before returning his attention to Eddy.

"Would…Would it just be the three of us?" he asks hopefully.

"Ah…yeah," Eddy shrugs, slicking his hair back as his eyes dart away, "For the most part…" He flashes the other boy a grin. "C'mon Sockhead, what'dya say?"

Edd sighs; "Alright…"

Giving in again. He curses his weakness to Eddy's will as he stands and approaches the counter. Taking a pen and the sticky notes there, he leaves a note for his parents that he's going out with his friends and will be home later.

Once done, he turns back to Eddy with a weary look.

"Alright," he sighs, retrieving his bag, "Let's go."

Edd rubs at his temples, trying in vain to deter the migraine quickly settling in. He raps his pencil's eraser against the surface of the table in his irritation. With a grimace, he forces himself to keep his focus away from the living room and his so-called 'friends'.

Of course he'd been expecting Eddy to take them over to Kevin's. Of course he'd been expecting that he _wouldn't_ get to spend time with his best friends without _them_.

But he'd still said yes. In a pathetic attempt to keep Eddy happy, he'd agreed. It's less hurtful at this point, and just more obnoxious as Kevin turns up the volume on the television. He groans.

It's bad enough that the group had abandoned their homework, but to distract Edd from his own with their stupid television show is wearing more and more on his patience. He'd tried to get the group back on track on more than one occasion, but to no avail.

And, of course, Nazz is here too. Edd refuses to speak to her. She'd tried a number of times to talk to him and apologize, beginning with sitting with him at the table to work on homework. In each instance, he'd respond in one of three ways; either ignore her, glare at her, or snap at her. The latter had happened only after she'd tried to sit with him, as though they were still friends. Naturally, he'd let her have it again.

She's now sitting in the living room with the others, refusing to look his way save for some sidelong glances from her place at Kevin's side. Edd hopes the lesson has been driven home. He's not sure how he could make his position any clearer.

A loud outburst of laughing startles him, pulling his attention to the group. Ed and Eddy are thoroughly enjoying themselves, it seems. It would make him smile some, if not for the pang of hurt he feels as he observes them. It's as though the two have forgotten that he's there.

Worse yet is the arm Eddy has thrown around Kevin's shoulder in an act of brotherly affection. Along with his hurt, he feels himself bristle with jealousy. For Eddy to not only cast him aside, but also seem to replace him with Kevin like that while he's still in the room. It's almost too much to bear.

Finally, Edd can stand no more. He packs up his books and papers and places them meticulously into his bag. For a few minutes, he just sits there, staring down at the wood of the table. Debating whether or not he should wait for Ed and Eddy or if he should just leave.

Kevin stands, excusing himself to the bathroom. Edd takes his chance. Rising to his feet, he makes his way swiftly to where Eddy's sitting. Without so much as a glance to Nazz, he speaks to his friend in a hushed tone.

"Eddy, I'd like to go home now," he dictates sternly.

"What?" Eddy whines, "But we just _got_ here!"

"Just _got_ here?" Edd scoffs, "Eddy, we've been here for _hours!_ " He pouts some. "Please…I want to go home."

"But this is the best part!" Eddy groans, "C'mon, Sockhead. It wouldn't _kill_ ya to socialize once in a while."

Edd opens his mouth to counter this, when Eddy becomes distracted by something in the show.

"Eddy…" Edd presses.

Of course, the boy ignores him as he laughs at whatever nonsensical thing is happening on the tv. With a huff, Edd turns on his heel and leaves the room. He enters the hallway, eyes locked on the front door.

" _Eddward?_ " He turns to face Kevin's mother as she spots him. "Where are you going?"

"My apologies, Mrs. Barr," he replies sheepishly, "I'm not feeling very well. I…I just want to go home."

"Are you sure?" she asks, concerned, "Do you need me to call your parents or somethin'?"

"Oh no, no," Edd replies with a nervous laugh, "Thank you, but I live just across the street. I'll be alright."

She shrugs; "Alright then…"

"Thank you for being such a gracious hostess," he adds as he approaches the door, "I'm sorry to leave so abruptly. If you would please inform my friends that I've gone home, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"You didn't tell them you were leaving?"

"I tried, but they're all quite invested in their television show," Edd explains, hoping he doesn't sound too bitter, "Anyway, if they ask, would you please tell them where I've gone?"

"Sure," she nods back, "Get home safe, okay? It's getting dark out."

"Thank you," Edd nods back as he exits the house.

After closing the door, he looks around with a pout at the orange light that's quickly fading. He hears more laughter from inside, driving the hurt in deeper. Bowing his head, he starts walking, not bothering to look up until he reaches his own front door on the other side of the street.

There are lights on inside, indicating that his parents are home. He's almost hopeful as he walks inside.

"I'm home!" he calls, hoping he doesn't sound too disappointed.

" _We are in the kitchen, boys!_ " he hears his mother announce.

"Actually, it's just me!" Edd informs her as he shuts the door behind him and locks it.

He hears a bustling in the kitchen before his mother appears in the doorway.

"What?" she gapes, "Where are your friends? Ed and…" She grimaces. "Eddy?"

Edd shrugs as he walks past her into the kitchen; "They wanted to stay at Kevin's longer and…I didn't."

"So you just _walked_ home alone?!" she demands.

"W-Well… _y-yes_ ," Edd nods, "I don't understand. I walked home alone from my therapy session today…Why is this any different?"

"It is getting _dark_ out, Eddward," Valerie dictates, "Why would you _possibly_ think doing something so reckless is acceptable?!"

"That's correct, Eddward," Samuel agrees from his seat at the table, "You shouldn't be so careless."

"But I was only across the street?" Edd replies, trying to reason with them, "And the sun is still setting."

"That is no excuse," she snaps back, "Walking around so late in the evening. What if something happened? What if someone had…"

She stops herself before she can finish that sentence, covering her mouth as though to ensure that she cannot continue. Edd takes the hint and sits down across from the two of them at the table, waiting for the discussion he knows is coming. A few deep breaths to calm herself and she's looking at him again.

"Doctor Underwood called," she states.

 _Here it comes…_

"He says you were acting strangely during school and when you were in his office," she continues, "Am I safe in assuming that this recklessness is another symptom?"

"I wouldn't necessarily call it 'recklessness'…" Edd mumbles.

"Then how would _you_ explain your behavior?" Valerie snaps in a biting tone.

Edd hunches his shoulders some; "I was…upset. Nazz…Nazz told people at school about…about Terry and…I was upset…"

There's a visible change in the woman upon hearing that. Sympathy replaces anger as she sits beside her husband.

"Eddward…" she sighs, "Doctor Underwood also mentioned…" She pauses, trying to think of just how she wants to word this. "That you may be relapsing…That you have begun…hallucinating…"

Edd tenses at that. He wants to argue that claim. He knows that's not true — he knows he's not seeing things. He bows his head, hoping they won't press the matter.

"Please, Eddward," Valerie begs with a frown, "Talk to us. If you are upset about something, you need to tell us."

He certainly considers it. It _would_ make him feel better to get this off his chest. The reaction, however…

He shakes his head; "I'm fine, Mother…" He offers them a small smile. "The first week back was just…a bit more stressful than I'd been expecting. I suppose I'm just exhausted, both mentally and physically." He adds a yawn for emphasis. "Excuse me. I believe a good night's rest would be best. Wouldn't you agree?"

There's suspicion in their eyes as the two adults share a look. Edd holds his breath, waiting for a response. Finally, his father speaks.

"Very well…" he nods to him, "After dinner, it's straight to bed. You've finished your homework, yes?"

"Yes, I have," Edd informs him, "But, if it's all the same, I think I'd rather go to bed now. Mrs. Barr was kind enough to cook for us while we were at Kevin's."

Another lie, of course. The truth is, he's not hungry at all. Everything on his mind has made him lose his appetite completely. More concern in his parent's eyes.

"You're certain, Eddward?" Valerie asks uneasily.

"Yes," Edd answers, "I would very much like to retire to bed now, if that's okay…"

They're not thrilled by this revelation, but relent regardless.

"If you're certain," Valerie frowns as she stands, "Sleep well, Eddward."

He nods, standing as well and quickly slipping out of the kitchen. As he ascends the stairs, he heaves a relieved sigh, glad that they had bought that. He enters his room and sets his bag down beside his door. Briefly, he considers showering before bed, but ultimately decides against it. He'd just barely convinced his parents to drop the subject they'd been discussing in favor of letting him go to bed. It would be far too suspicious to take a shower now.

As he changes into his pajamas, he reflects on his recent behavior. He feels bad for lying to them and to Eddy, but he's quickly seeing less and less of an option. He wonders if it says anything against him. How negatively it truly paints him to lie like this.

He crawls into bed, feeling lost.

It's of little consequence now. The lies have been told and the conflicts avoided for now. Best not to dwell on that.

Instead, his troubled mind thinks of his friends. He wonders in that moment how long it will take before Ed or Eddy notice he's gone from Kevin's little party.

A pang of hurt throbs in his chest as he wonders too if they even care anymore.

 _That little shit should know better by now than to care too much about his lackeys._

He shuts his eyes against Terry's words echoing in his memories, hoping to block them out completely.

 _So there's never been any time when you thought Pipsqueak was just using you or something?_

"Stop it," he feels the tears falling hot down his cheeks as he holds his head, "That's not true…"

 _Isn't it, though?_ He _had_ been thinking of just that earlier at the abandoned house and had even made the statement aloud himself.

He can almost hear Terry's laugh.

 _Denial looks good on you, Princess. But it's about time you faced facts._

The tears won't stop. The thoughts are in his head and will not leave, eating away at what little hope he still has. Curling up on his side, he holds his middle in a desperate attempt to comfort himself. With tears falling hot down his cheeks and staining his pillow, he drifts off into a blissful, albeit sorrowful slumber.

* * *

Battygirl: See you in the next chapter.


	5. Curiosity Killed The Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break  
**

 **Summary:  
**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?  
**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.  
**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Well, we're back again! We hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave us a review!  
_

 _Battygirl: A big thank you to everyone who's actually reading and reviewing and, well, following this story. If there's one thing I can be thankful for, it's the response (no matter how slight) to this story and it's predecessor. We hope you all like this new chapter. And don't forget to leave a review. Please and thank you.  
_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Curiosity Killed The Edd**

 _I'm surrounded by idiots…_

Edd leans back against the couch, glaring at the images on the television. Back again with Kevin and Nazz, with Johnny thrown in the mix today as well in the red head's house. The wide screen is very nice for playing video games, Edd supposes, but he'd be lying if he said he were even _remotely_ interested in such a thing. At the moment, Ed and Eddy are in the middle of some weird racing game Kevin has in his collection.

After only a couple of hours of this, Edd's already at his limit.

His mind is weighed down as well by the contents of his pocket. He hadn't told Ed or Eddy about them (though he wonders if they'd care to know anyway). His mother had gone out first thing in the morning to pick up his medication and had given him the bottle after she'd returned. Naturally, she'd demanded he take his first dose right away before instructing him when to take the next. He grimaces some at the very notion. He feels no different aside from a drowsiness dulling his senses.

It doesn't, however, ebb away his frustration over the situation. As upset as he is that his therapist will not believe him about Terry, he's also begun questioning whether or not the man is right. No one else sees what he does. He wants to believe it's real — to continue living under the assumption that he's sane and in control of his own mental state. But maybe he _is_ seeing things…? Maybe his mind _is_ playing tricks on him? Maybe he _is_ relapsing into a state of paranoia caused by high stress…? Regardless of what's true, though, the situation has him undeniably annoyed.

The round ends and Kevin stands up to turn the system off. Edd perks up a bit. Could it be? Would they finally move on to _something_ else?

No such luck. Instead, Kevin puts in some kind of fighting game. Edd grits his teeth. When will it end?!

"Alright, this is only two-player…" Kevin shrugs, "Who's up first? My game, so I'm playing. Who's gonna to fight me?"

"Count me in!" Johnny cries enthusiastically.

"Choice," Kevin notes offhandedly.

Edd pouts some as the two gather together and pick up their controllers, with Johnny resting Plank in his lap. Eddy moves back to sit against the couch, grinning in anticipation. Brow furrowed, Edd leans forward.

"Eddy, can't we leave now?" he whines in a hushed tone, "This is so… _boring_."

"No way, Sockhead," Eddy hisses back, glancing at him with something of a grimace, "'Sides, you _owe_ it to 'ol Shovel Chin after you just ran off last night." He scoffs, turning away again. "I mean, seriously. I thought _you_ were s'posed to be the 'polite one'."

Edd gapes at him, startled by his tone. It lasts only a moment, though, before being replaced by anger. Rising to his feet, he instead turns to Ed, who's sitting to his right. With a quick glare to the back of Eddy's head, Edd leans over to Ed.

"I'm returning home, Ed…" he murmurs loud enough for only Ed to hear, "I'll see you both later."

"Okay, Double D…" Ed replies almost robotically as he watches the game begin.

He's obviously only half-listening, but Edd cares very little. He tried.

With a huff, he leaves. Though he hates to be rude, he hates even more the doldrums Eddy has put him through lately. Every day this week has been spent at Kevin's. And after that fiasco in the cafeteria yesterday, Edd can hardly even _look_ at Nazz. He makes a silent vow to turn the shorter boy down the next time he _dares_ to suggest hanging out with _either_ of them again.

He begins walking toward his house, stopping as he reaches his side of the street. His frown deepens. The house is empty right now with both of his parents at work. Being there would only be a painful reminder that their company isn't even an option.

Instead, he turns toward the end of the street. A quick glance around to be sure he's alone, he leaves the cul-de-sac. He has another option in mind. A place to be alone, yet at peace. His steps feel lighter and lighter the closer he gets to the old house. An anxious feeling wells in his chest; anticipation for the reading he'll be doing. Much more pleasant and stimulating than some silly video game.

Past the walkway overrun by the weeds and grass in desperate need to be cut. Through the door with no handle. Up the creaking stairs. He feels his heart leap as he enters the room again. A more appropriate sanctuary he could not have created himself.

Sparing not even a moment, he approaches the shelves. He snatches a number of books down, making a stack beside the chair in the room. A few hours of reading should prove just the trick. He bitterly believes that Ed and Eddy would be busy for about that time anyway.

With his little pile prepared, he removes the dust cover from the chair. The cloth seems to have fulfilled its purpose; protecting the lovely red velvet upholstery on the seat and backing from the weathering of time. He takes a seat, making himself comfortable, before grabbing the book at the top of the stack.

With a content smile, he tucks in. This one focuses on psychology, he discovers. He remembers receiving a similar book about a year ago, though he tries to forget the disastrous results of _that_ endeavor. This book did not entertain the ideas of hypnotism, he finds, and instead discussed different psychological disorders.

Edd certainly finds it fascinating. However, it's not long into a paragraph about personality disorders that he finds himself reading the same sentence…reading the same sentence…reading the same sentence…

In his relaxed and slightly drugged state, he drifts off to sleep, the book resting comfortably on his chest.

So calm. So content. So unaware of the eyes locked on him from the door.

Terry fights the urge to laugh. _The kid's making this too damn easy._ He's glad to have come to investigate the sounds coming from this room. It had been so worth it to watch the boy bustle about in earnest with his precious books. So distracted that he hadn't even noticed his presence. He'd kept himself hidden, of course, but any rational person may have thought something amiss or felt themselves being watched.

But not his fatigued, sorrowful, pitiful little Princess.

For several minutes, he just watches the boy, amused. Temptation draws him into the room and over to where the preteen slumbers so peacefully. Carefully, he grabs the arms of the chair and leans against it, bearing down on the child with an animalistic glint in his eyes. How easy it would be to touch him. To snatch him up and do as he pleases with him.

Leaning forward just a bit more. A chaste kiss to those pretty pink lips, parted slightly in his respite. Tongue darting out to taste that sweet flesh. He must bite back his moan. Just as he remembers. He begins kissing down Edd's jaw towards his neck, eager to taste more and more.

A soft, lilting moan draws his attention immediately back to Edd's face. The boy's brows are drawn together as he begins to stir from his sleep. _Damn…_ He glances back to the door pensively before an idea comes to him.

With a devious grin, he stands straight and slips silently from the room, confident that Edd's still none-the-wiser.

Edd blinks his eyes open slowly. The veil of sleep lifts slowly at first as he fights to remember where he is. When it clicks, he finds himself instantly alert, shocked that he'd drifted off in this place. He checks his watch and grimaces. It hadn't been _too_ long — nowhere _near_ the couple of hours he'd intended to stay — but he begins to second guess his decision to come to this place. Perhaps someone is actually looking for him? He doubts it, given Eddy's dismissal, but he has a bad feeling that he probably shouldn't linger much longer, regardless.

With a weary sigh, he meticulously returns the books to their proper homes on the shelves before exiting the room, wishing he could stay. He's startled as he spots a light coming from a room down the dark and foreboding left end of the hall. Had that been on when he arrived? It's quite possible. He _had_ been very distracted on his way to the reading room.

He looks around uneasily. Has he been trespassing in someone's home this whole time?!

No, no. That's impossible. The house itself is in such a deplorable state. There's no possible way someone could be _living_ here.

Is there…?

 _Only one way to find out…_ he imagines as he approaches the room. His entire body is quaking as he peeks inside.

No occupant, as expected. Just a dim light resting on a very dusty nightstand beside a poorly-made bed. He's concerned upon noticing how the sheets and covers are rumpled and strewn about, suggesting that the bed had been slept in recently. His unease compounds upon spotting the beer cans and cigarettes littering the floor.

Someone _has_ been here lately. His mind reels at the possibilities as he ventures further into the room. Some drunken bum? An unbalanced vagabond? Some psychopath utilizing the space for whatever horrid venture that they could concoct? A few girls intent on forcing their amorous desires upon three unsuspecting boys? He shakes his head. No no no; he'd already ruled _that_ possibility out when he'd first rediscovered the place.

Regardless, whoever _had_ been here seems to be gone now, but…would they be back? His curiosity is quickly getting the better of him. He approaches the window located near the bed. It's caked in dust, like the others, which he wipes away to better see outside. The sun is still out and shining brightly. In a few yards around the house, he can see young children playing as well.

His focus remains on the window for several minutes, leaving him inattentive of his surroundings. Oblivious to the new arrival in the room.

The man slips silently through the door, grinning in wicked delight as he observes his prey. _Too easy_. He shuts the door behind him, hands in his pocket as he leans against the wood and as he casts the boy a knowing look.

"Well well well…" he purrs aloud, "Lookie what we have here…"

Edd's startled by the sound and the voice speaking so suddenly and whips around. He feels a weight of fear on his chest, like a snake squeezing his heart. His mouth and throat are painfully dry and he can't stop shaking as he presses himself against the wall.

"T…T-Terry…" he whimpers.

Terry watches him carefully, delighting in the amalgam of emotions that crosses the boy's face all at once.

He chuckles, remaining at the door; "You look surprised…Did you miss me? Admit it, sweetheart; you missed me."

Edd doesn't answer, his eyes darting around the room in search of an escape. Of course, he finds none. He briefly considers the window. From the second floor to the ground outside may not be the wisest route, he imagines, but a long and likely painful fall may be more welcome than whatever horrors he'd be subjected to if he stays. Terry seems to anticipate his thought process.

"I wouldn't…" he advises knowingly, "Those windows don't open easy. You'd be struggling with 'em for a while and…well, I highly doubt someone like _you_ would even be able to open them at all…"

Another little whimper escapes Edd's throat. There goes _that_ hope…He curses his foolishness. How could he be so careless? His own stupid decisions had landed him here and now he's going to pay for it. He starts to wonder if his parents may have had a point in calling him reckless…

"Didn't your mommy ever tell you, you shouldn't sneak into strange houses?" the man continues in a chastising tone, "Course…not that I'd blame you…I'd wanna sneak off too if I were in your position."

Edd glances to him, startled by his words.

"Ain't right how that 'family' of yours is treatin' you," the man continues, inspecting his nails nonchalantly, "Same with Pipsqueak and them other lil ankle biters…"

The boy swallows the lump in his throat; "Wh…What do you mean?"

Terry scoffs; "Anyone with half a brain can see you're being… 'neglected'." There's no response from the boy, but Terry can see he has his full attention. "Sure…Mommy and daddy ain't home half the time…Those so-called 'friends' of yours would rather hang out with fuckin' _anyone_ else…S'like they don't have any time for _you_ at all…" He offers Edd a somewhat sympathetic look. "And after everything you've been through…"

That strikes a nerve in the boy. His shaking lessens slightly as he glares at the man.

"E-Everything _you_ put me through!" he snaps back, starting to tear up, "D-Don't you _talk_ about them that way!" He grabs onto his hat, trying to calm himself. "They're trying their best! They just…They don't know _how_ to approach something like this…"

"Bullshit," Terry sneers back, "I can tell you don't believe that." He's definitely getting to the boy, who's crumbling quickly. "But…even if you did…or even if it were _true_ , it doesn't give 'em any right to treat you like that."

Edd can't fight the tears any longer. He tries to wipe them away — he doesn't want Terry to see him cry again. Vaguely, he notices the man moving, but pays it little mind as he desperately tries to pull himself together.

"And it certainly doesn't give them any right…" he's startled at how much closer the man sounds and snaps his attention directly in front of him, where Terry now stands. One of the large hands cups his cheek, keeping his gaze directed towards his tormentor, "to make you feel like this…"

For emphasis, he wipes away the tears falling fast down Edd's cheeks. Edd feels himself deteriorating further. Little hiccuping sobs are all he can manage as he fights to stop crying. Unconsciously, he leans into the warm caress.

He hates hearing this from _him_ , but the validation feels…good. To know he's not the only one who can see he's been treated unjustly. Even coming from Terry, there's a semblance of solace.

"I…I want them to understand…" he whimpers, more to himself than to the man before him, "I don't want them to _pretend_ to care anymore or…or pretend they know how I feel…"

In response, he receives a smirk.

"They don't care about you," Terry notes matter-of-factly, his free hand coming up to hold Edd's shoulder, "like I do…"

The boy searches his face for deceit. There's no way he can be speaking anything but a lie. After much scrutiny, however, he cannot find it in his hurt.

He's beginning to believe it.

As Terry leans closer, Edd finds himself resisting less and less.

"No one wants you," the deep, sensual tone purrs. The hand cupping his cheek moves to cradle the back of his head and neck, "like I do…"

The boy shivers, his heart racing. In fear or anticipation, he's not sure anymore. The fog from before is back. His thoughts feeling clouded and so unlike his own.

"Stay with me," the words are nearly spoken against his lips, "and I'll give you what you need…"

Edd's eyes drift blissfully closed. _Closer…Please…don't stop…_

Chapped lips against his own; tauntingly gentle at first, but quickly becoming more and more possessive. A soft whimper is all the resistance Edd provides as his knees hit the back of the bed. The connection is lost, but for only a moment as he falls onto the mattress before the man is upon him again. Kisses placed quickly along his lips and jaw and neck, laying claim once more to the flesh beneath that wicked tongue.

He's startled when he feels Terry's hands upon his body. One holds his shoulder, keeping him well in his place, while the other travels down along his side and to his hips. He writhes some, if only to feel more of that delicious friction between them as the larger body presses against his own. Shivering in want as the warm breath caresses his ear.

"So eager…" the man purrs, nipping at the shell.

Gulping down his anxiety, Edd chooses to ignore that. His hands lay limply on either side of his head, avoiding the futile act of fighting against the ministrations. The hand on his hip moves lower, squeezing here and there; enjoying the feeling of the soft, pliant limb. Back up, squeezing a little harder.

Terry halts in his movements when his hand bumps something in Edd's pocket, causing its contents to rattle loudly. Cocking his brow to the child laying so defenseless beneath him, he grins some and sneaks his fingers into the pocket. Edd's efforts to writhe away increase in a desperate attempt to make him stop. Of course, this does little to dissuade the man, and he effortlessly retrieves the pills from Edd's pocket.

"What's this…?" the man chuckles knowingly, looking over the bottle.

Edd feebly tries to retrieve them.

"P-Please!" he begs softly, "Give them back!"

Held just out of his reach. He's pulled closer to the man.

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," Terry murmurs against his cheek, "You won't need 'em."

Pulled into another deep, possessive kiss. The arm Edd had been extending to grab the bottle falls limp. He moans softly into the man's lips. Instinct begs him to run — to push the man away and make a break for the door — but sweet ecstasy keeps him still. He doesn't want to leave this…not yet at least. Warmth spreads through him in response to the affection he's so desperately craved.

Terry pulls away from his lips, grinning deviously as he leans over the boy.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself, Princess…" he comments knowingly.

Edd whimpers feebly. His fingers are lightly gripping the man's sleeves as he gazes up at him in silent yearning. Like a puppy begging for attention from his master. It's a delicious sight and Terry drinks it in greedily.

Chuckling, he leans a bit closer.

"Do you want more?" he asks expectantly.

The tears are back as Edd struggles with himself internally. Shaking hands take a fistful each of the red plaid on the man's arms in a pitiful attempt to calm himself down.

"Y…Yes…" he whimpers, "P-Please…"

 _Good answer._

"Mm…Then it's your turn," Terry instructs. Edd's eyes open wide and he whips his attention to the man. "Show me how bad you want this…Kiss me."

Edd bites his lip uneasily as he debates it. Again, his instincts are screaming at him. _Run! Make it_ _ **stop!**_ But something keeps him in place. Something other than the hand on his shoulder and the fear of what the man may do to him. Something begging him to do whatever Terry asks, if only to prevent the loss of what little affection he's received lately.

In his hesitation, Terry starts to move away. Panic consumes the boy and he tugs on the man's jacket to prevent him from moving any farther. He keeps his eyes averted, determined not to look at the irritated expression he's sure he's receiving.

Gulping down his unease, he pulls himself up. He starts shaking again as he finally raises his gaze to the man's face. Instead of irritation, he's surprised to find Terry watching him expectantly, waiting for him to do something. Taking a deep breath he leans up to press his lips against the man's, eyes shut tight against his shame. He can feel Terry's hands upon him again, as he's lowered back against the bed again. Edd releases a soft moan, leaning into the caresses.

Terry pulls away a few moments later, grinning.

"Good boy," he purrs, "Now…let's have a little fun." The boy shivers as the man's hands slip under his shirt. "Take this off for me, Princess. Let me see more of you…"

Edd's frozen in place for several moments as Terry sits back to observe him. He sits up a bit when that shock fades, looking uncomfortable. As he grabs the hem of his shirt, he glances at the door. He has a chance now. If he's fast enough, he could run away and seek help.

So tempting…

Terry's hands, however, remind him of the pleasure he'd be leaving behind and bring his attention back to the man. Tracing along his hips, squeezing where he pleases. Mechanically, Edd pulls off his shirt. He doesn't discard it yet, of course, and instead holds it self-consciously over his bare torso.

Naturally, Terry pushes his arms and the garment aside to better view that flesh he desires so deeply. He grimaces some at the pale, smooth skin, finally free of the marks he'd left before. The urge to leave behind more bites and bruises is almost unbearable as he runs his hands over the small body. Edd squirms, but never tries to move away. When the large thumbs begin toying with the boy's nipples, Edd releases a soft cry of pleasure. That puts the smile back on the man's face. _That's what I wanna hear…_

He leans forward, nipping at the boy's earlobe; "Moan for me, sweetheart…Let me hear you wanting me…"

Another shiver wracks the boy's frame. As Terry's lips trace a trail down his jaw, to his neck and then his chest, Edd stops holding back the little noises that are so desperately trying to escape him. The hot mouth wrapping around one of the sensitive nubs draws a louder moan from him, strung along with others as the man's tongue teases and circles the stiffening flesh.

"A-Ahh…T-Terry…" he groans as the man switches to the other nipple to give it the same treatment, his toes curling in his shoes and fingers clawing at the sheets.

He's lost in the ecstasy, barely able to articulate his thoughts. Warmth spreads over his quivering flesh from every place the man's hands and fingers make contact. He can feel himself becoming more and more aroused with each passing moment. _Please…Don't stop…_

He opens his eyes when some of that warmth leaves his chest and he glances at the man with a half-lidded gaze as Terry leans in to whisper to him again.

"More…" comes the breathy order, "I want to see _more_ of you." He feels Terry's fingers playing with the waistband of his shorts. "Take it off for me, Princess…All of it."

Edd's heart is pounding with that. That's too far — he can't let this continue. He simply _can't_!

"N-No…" he forces himself to sputter out, "P-Please…Not that."

He can see the irritation flash across the man's eyes. The warmth of the larger body leaves as Terry moves away from him, taking his hands off of him completely. He regards the shivering child with a grimace.

"So you want this to stop, then?" he asks in a matter-of-fact tone.

 _Of course I do!_

"N…No…" he whimpers, "Just…N-Not that…Please!"

Terry looks away from him, "Mm…I dunno, Princess. You don't seem to want it anymore…"

Panic sparks Edd into movement, drawing him to latch onto Terry's wrist when the man moves to rise from the bed.

"N-No! Please!" he begs, "D-Don't…Don't just _leave_ me like this…"

He squirms some in a pitiful attempt to create even the slightest bit of friction between his legs, whimpering as his arousal is teased, but nowhere near satisfied. He hears the man scoff.

"Gee, I dunno, Girlfriend…" he sneers, "You'll have to do better than that." He returns his gaze back to the boy. "Prove to me you want this…and maybe I'll give you what you need."

Edd's shaking. He feels helpless. The choice is so obvious; _leave! Get away from this room, this house, and this horrible man!_ But he hesitates, as though chained to the bed. Averting his gaze to below his waist, he shivers. Regardless, he can't leave this place with… _that_. He can only imagine the reactions. How will he explain to the others what's happened? How can he assert he'd been unwillingly forced into this state? How can he explain how it went _this_ far?

How can he expect them to believe what he doesn't believe himself?

Quivering hands make the decision for him. Thumbs slipping beneath the waistband of his shorts. Eyes shutting tight against the shame as he kicks off his shoes. Raising his hips to better ease the garment down his legs. As the clothing passes his knees, the weight on the bed shifts and he's rewarded with a kiss. He brings his hands up, fisting them in the plaid fabric in a desperate attempt to keep the man close. He swoons when he feels those warm hands upon his thighs, holding him in place.

The kiss is broken moments later, leaving Edd panting some. Terry kisses along his jaw.

"Just a little more, sweetheart…" he purrs.

Edd's modesty hinders his response for only a moment before the last of his clothing is finally discarded save for the socks only just remaining on his feet and the hat on his head. He lays his head back, eyes shut as he waits for the reward of more affectionate nuzzles and kisses. When he receives neither, he opens his eyes and looks up at the man.

Cold blue eyes locked on his naked body. He suddenly feels very vulnerable beneath that gaze. He starts to curl in on himself, hoping to deter the man's scrutiny. Terry is easily able to spot the discomfort and he grins, pleased with Edd's reactions. _So fuckin' cute…_

"Very good, Princess," he praises in that familiar seductive tone, "Now I can really show you what you've been missing without _me_."

Lips upon his own once again, more rough than before. Terry's hands go back to work, trailing down the small chest and down past the tiny, plush waist. The boy writhes in want, whimpering and moaning as that delicious friction finally returns beneath his waist. Sputtering half-formed pleas and the man's name. Burying his fingers into the dark hair in a desperate attempt to keep himself grounded and prevent Terry from moving away from kissing and nipping at his neck.

 _So close…Oh god…Please! P-Please don't stop!_

Edd's moans are growing louder as he nears that peak. Terry's actions go no further than stroking his cock and gently massaging his sensitive skin. Were he capable of articulate thought, he may question why that is. Why the man isn't taking complete advantage of the situation.

Of course, he can think of nothing more than how _fucking_ good it feels. Green eyes snap shut as he finally achieves his orgasm, arching into the man's touch. Terry observes him carefully, pleased with the boy's submission. The child lies limp on the bed, breathless and shaking slightly as he starts to relax again. This is aided by the affectionate kisses to his jaw and neck, lulling the boy more and more. The tender caresses are enough to make the weary preteen drift into a content sleep.

* * *

Edd groans softly, his eyes blinking open. For several moments, he's lost in the haze of sleep. He doesn't recognize his surroundings, nor does he remember what happened before he'd fallen asleep. That is, until Terry's cruel, twisted grin flashes in his mind.

He bolts upright with a gasp, eyes wide as he looks around.

Books. Shelves upon shelves of books. He's still in the reading room. His breathing is uneven as he tries to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. He can so clearly remember Terry's touch, the pleasure he'd been gifted. Checking his pocket, he finds the bottle of pills. His brow is furrowed in confusion.

Scrambling to his feet, he races for the door. Down the hallway. Nothing but darkness. Could it have really been just another dream? He sighs some, covering his mouth in horror. _Not again…_

He rubs his arms in a desperate attempt to calm himself as he quickly exits the house. He doesn't want to admit it. Doesn't want to _believe_ it could be true…However, he's not sure he can deny it much longer. On some subconscious level, he begins to wonder if, perhaps, he _wants_ the man to return. He acknowledges that it may indeed explain what's been happening lately. Why the dreams have only been getting worse. Why he's been seeing the man everywhere he's gone. Why imagining his touch has always been enough to drive him to orgasm.

His face is burning in shame as he pulls his hat down over his face. _What am I going to do…?_

" _Double D!_ "

He's startled by Eddy's voice screaming at him. Lifting his hat back up, he finds the boy running toward him frantically. It's only now that he notices that he's reached the cul-de-sac again. With a pout, he turns to Eddy fully.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?!" the shorter boy demands, "We've been looking for you for _hours_!"

Edd rolls his eyes, raising his wrist to check his watch; "Eddy, that's prepo—o-oh my…"

Indeed, he'd been gone for a couple of hours. Had he really been sleeping for _that_ long in the old house?

" _Well?!_ " Eddy's demanding tone brings him back to the situation at hand, "Where've you _been,_ Sockhead?!"

Edd rubs his temple a bit; "My apologies, Eddy…I just…wanted to be alone for a bit."

"Alone?!" Eddy scoffs, "Who is it that's been _bitching_ about hanging out with us lately?!"

Edd's taken aback by his tone, but that shock doesn't last. He glares at him.

"I've wanted to spend time with you and _Ed_ ," he clarifies, "Not a group of so-called 'friends' who would sooner reveal terrible secrets about me to the entire _school!_ "

"Oh come _off_ it, Double D!" Eddy groans back, "When the _fuck_ are you gonna let that shit go?!"

Gritting his teeth, Edd pushes past him, storming towards his house.

"Hey!" Eddy cries back, "Where are _you_ going?!"

"I'm returning home," Edd snaps back, "Not that it matters, frankly. It's none of _your_ business where I spend my time!"

"Fuck, Edd!" Eddy gripes, "What's _wrong_ with you lately? Why are you acting like this?"

Edd sighs, stopping at his door. With a grimace, he glances at him.

"I'm sorry…" he sighs, "I've…been very stressed lately. I don't mean to take it out on you…I just need time to relax."

"That's what we were _trying_ to do!" Eddy snaps.

Edd bites back the urge to snap at him, taking a moment to breathe in and out carefully.

"I _meant_ ," he speaks through his teeth, "I need time _alone_."

Eddy pouts a bit at that, deflating some. Edd turns back to the door.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to just go inside and rest," he informs the shorter boy.

"Wh-What about me and Ed?"

"I don't particularly care," Edd replies, grimacing as he unlocks the door, "Why don't you just go back to your new best friends instead?"

Eddy's jaw drops as Edd enters his home. The taller boy turns back to glare at him.

"And do not come pestering me tomorrow morning," he commands, "I'd like to actually _enjoy_ my Sunday and possibly sleep in for once. And _you_ would likely ruin that."

Before Eddy can protest, Edd shuts and locks the door behind him.

* * *

 _Battygirl: See you in the next chapter! Don't forget to leave a review!_


	6. The Bro is in Your Court

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Hey everyone! We're back again with a new chapter! And some good news! Chapter 4 of Bro's Play should be up next Friday! Cross your fingers!  
_

 _Battygirl: Thanks again to everyone who's reading and reviewing this story. We really appreciate your feedback and your continued interest in this fic. Please, don't forget to leave a review to tell us what you think of the chapter. We can only improve or even know we're doing okay if you tell us, so please don't hold back. Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Bro is in Your Court  
**

* * *

Sunlight hitting his face rouses Edd from the first peaceful night's sleep he's had in weeks. He stretches languidly, smiling some. It feels nice to wake to his own circadian rhythm for a change. A quick glance to his clock shows that it's still well before noon, but far later than he would normally wake. He sighs contentedly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Standing from the bed, he sets to his morning routine. A warm, comforting shower. Fresh clothes and a clean hat. Then it's downstairs to fetch his usual list of chores and prepare his breakfast. He hears no sounds coming from the floor below, indicating that his parents had already left for work. Nothing unusual, of course, and he doesn't let it bother him. For once, it's kind of nice to wake up alone.

Or at least it… _had_ been…

His blood runs cold when he enters the kitchen and spots the figure lounging in one of the chairs. Feet propped up on the table lazily as he reclines; reading over some slip of paper and chuckling some. He doesn't look up yet, keeping his eyes on the paper. The child's frozen in fear and confusion as he stares in horror at his tormentor. Another hallucination? He hadn't taken his medicine yet today…Still, though; best, perhaps, to not draw his attention.

His body is quaking as he tries to step back — to back out before the man can spot him.

" _Good morning, Sleeping Beauty._ "

No such luck. The cold gaze is upon him before he can blink and a knowing grin is sent his way.

"Sleep well, Princess?" the man chuckles, tossing the paper back onto the table.

Terry rises to his feet to approach him. The boy can feel the hair at the back of his neck stand on end. He tries to will his body to move. _RUN! Run_ _ **away**_ _! Run away no—Okay fine, walk._ _ **Walk**_ _away at least._ He wants to heave a sigh of relief when his feet finally respond, taking a step back, one at a time. Unfortunately, it does him little good to walk backwards and he's against a wall before he can get too far.

He can see the delight in Terry's eyes — enjoying his torment and fear. Shaking hands reach up to grab his hat, which he quickly pulls over his face. His tears soak into the fabric when they fall from his eyes to make their trek down his cheeks.

"J-Just a dream…" he whimpers to himself, "J-Just a bad _bad_ dream…I-I'll wake up any second…It's not real! It's not _real!_ "

The nightmares set in the abandoned house and school had been bad _enough_. To see the man in those places, even in a dream, had been so _terribly_ horrifying. This, though…This is _so_ much worse. Even in his own home, he cannot escape this horror. Unsafe, even in this supposed sanctuary. He squeezes his eyes shut to further block out the visions.

They snap open, however, when he feels his hat being grabbed and pulled back, lifting the barrier shielding him from viewing his tormentor. The grip on his hat also has a hold on some of his hair, forcing him to look up at the man, who's looking quite pleased with what he's witnessed.

"C'mon now, sweetheart…" he purrs, "Don't hide that pretty face from me."

Edd shivers, pressing his body harder against the wall behind him. Gulping down his fear, he opens his mouth to speak.

"Wh…Why…?" he stutters, his mouth feeling suddenly dry and his voice scratchy, "Wh-Why are you here…?"

"Why else?" He shivers again as Terry traces along his jaw with his free hand. "I've been missing my pretty little Princess. So I came to bring you home."

Edd's eyes grow wide, his heart dropping into his stomach. He licks his too-dry lips.

"H-Home…?" he stutters, shaking his head, "No…N-No! I-I _am_ h-home! I…I don't _want_ to go!"

He winces against the large hand that cups his cheek. The man's fingers massage soothing circles against the back of his neck. His eyelids droop some against the sensation and he unintentionally leans into the ministration with a furrowed brow. The man chuckles softly, leaning closer.

"You sure about that, Princess?" he breathes, "Seems like you might…"

Edd's startled from the pleasing stimuli by that statement. Panicked, he tries in vain to push the man away.

"N-No! Please!" he begs, "S-Stop! L-Leave me be!"

That comforting massages to the back of his neck have ceased and the man instead grabs the boy's shoulder. Edd gasps softly as he's pinned by that shoulder to the wall.

"That's enough of that." He forces himself to open his eyes, looking up at the man through his tears. "Let me make this perfectly _clear_. I'm _not_ through with you just yet _,_ but that's not why I'm here. I been watching you, Princess and, I gotta say, I've not been happy with what I've been seeing. So I'm gonna help you."

"H-Help me?" Edd gawked, "Wh-What are you talking about?"

"The hell do you think?" the man scoffs. He pauses for a moment to calm himself. "I'm here to…'rescue' you from your sad little life here. I've seen the way you've been neglected. Do you really think being _here_ is any better than coming with me?"

Edd pouts, hunching his shoulders; "A-And how is going with _y-you_ better…? All _you_ ever did was beat me and…a-and…"

"And at least you know I actually _want_ you," the man finishes for him, "I been keeping an eye on you because I still _want_ you. And that's more than you can say for your folks, aint it?"

Edd's expression falters. He bites his lip, furrowing his brow as he casts his eyes to the tiled floor, missing the grin that spreads over the man's face.

"That's what I figured…" he chuckles, "And those crappy little friends of yours aint been much better…?" The boy's shaking is all the answer he needs. "Mm hmm…No one _here_ understands you, do they…?"

Edd glances at him, trembling. He tries to muster an answer. There _must_ be someone…mustn't there? His family? No…they think he's 'relapsing'. Ed…Eddy…? No. They pretend to. Try to offer an open ear when they can, but they can't possibly comprehend what he's endured. His therapist? Yeah right. The man hardly listened…He feels sick, realizing that, as much as it pains him to admit, Terry may be right…He bows his head again.

"Of course they don't," the man chuckles, "No one understands you. But I do…" He rubs his thumb against Edd's cheek. "I know what you want and what you need." The boy whimpers softly, leaning into the caress. "And I _want_ you enough to give it to you."

Edd shifts a little, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure against his shoulder as he ponders this. He knows he shouldn't listen, but he finds himself reluctantly intrigued. But he doesn't let it show; keeping his head bowed and eyes away from the man.

"Well, no need to be displeased, my little darlin'…" He cups Edd's chin to make the boy look at him again. "I got a proposition for ya…"

"P…P-Proposition…?" Edd echoes, confused. _I have a…choice?_

The man's hand alters it's hold on the boy's chin, gripping more firmly to keep Edd still.

"That's right," Terry's voice drops some and loses the more mirthful tone he'd been utilizing up until now, "Now, listen close, sweetheart. I'm gonna make this… _real_ simple. You got two choices. Got it? You can either come home like a good boy and be _mine_ again." Edd winces a little at the very suggestion, drawing the man to grimace. "Or you can stay here, with all those selfish fuckers who _pretend_ they give a shit and neglect you."

Another wince. This time, a few tears slip past Edd's tightly shut eyes. This decision sounds unbearable…

The grip on his chin eases up slightly, offering him some reprieve. Peeking up at the man, Edd finds him to be grinning some.

"But y'know what?" he purrs, "I'm in a pretty good mood…So I'll let you have some time to think it over and get shit sorted out. I'll give you say…till tomorrow; after school."

Edd tenses at that. _So little time…_ He hadn't been able to convince anyone of his paranoia within the past _week!_ A single _day_ would never be enough time to seek help!

"C'mon now," the man coos, noticing the distressed look on the boy's face, "That's more than enough time to figure out what you wanna do. Give those fuckers one last chance to prove they actually _give_ a shit, right?"

Edd pouts, biting his lip again. Terry rolls his eyes.

"One day, Princess," he states in a finalizing tone, "The rest of today and most of tomorrow to say goodbye to those shitty parents, that crappy school, and those little shits you pal around with who barely act like they give a damn anymore. Then I'll come back for your answer tomorrow night…"

Licking his lips, Edd thinks it over carefully. A choice…He's being given…a choice. That means he doesn't necessarily _have_ to say yes…

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he looks up at the man uneasily; "Wh…What if…I say no? Will you… _force_ me to go?"

Terry chuckles; "Now why would I do a mean thing like that?"

Edd shoots him a glare. How _dare_ he say that?! The man is unfazed and even seems pleased at that reaction.

"Mm…" he purrs, "Still got that spunk…"

Edd falters at that, his hard look weakening significantly. He looks away, suddenly feeling self-conscious once more. Terry takes a few moments to enjoy what he's witnessed.

"No," he says finally, "If you say 'no', I'll leave and never come back."

Startled, the boy quickly directs his attention back to the man. He opens his mouth, ready to give his answer _now_. A finger to his lips silences him.

"But," Terry continues, a bit irritated that Edd had been so prepared to interrupt, "I want you to think about that carefully. Is that _really_ what you want?"

The boy looks no less confused. _Of_ _ **course**_ _it is!_

"Do you _really_ want me to go?" the man asks, "Do you _really_ want to lose the only person who actually _wants_ you?" Edd starts to shrink in on himself, drawing the man to grin and lean closer. "Do you _really_ wanna stay here, where you're alone all the time? And treated like nothing you say matters?"

The tears are burning at the corners of his eyes again and, Edd regrets to note, his thoughts are feeling…foggy. The temptation is sounding all the sweeter now. To be promised a reprieve from his pain.

Seeing the conflicted look on the boy's face, Terry speaks again; "But maybe you're right…Maybe one day really _isn't_ enough to make a decision. So how about this, sweetheart? I want an answer by tomorrow, but I'll give you a few chances to give me the right one. We'll make it three. One chance a day. After that; I'll go. Whatdya say?"

For several moments, the boy doesn't respond, too shaken by tears to answer.

"P…Please…" he begs softly, "Why…Wh-Why are you doing this…? Why can't you just leave me be…?" He starts sobbing weakly. "Surely I'm not _worth_ all of this…"

He bows his head, sobbing into his hands. The boy doesn't bother waiting for an answer to his own question. He wants it to stop…It's all too much and all too painful to think about. He feels the man's hand cupping his chin and opens his eyes, his vision blurred by tears. He's given little time to react before Terry's lips are upon his own. Tensing up, he releases a soft gasp before putting his hands to the man's shoulders, trying with all his might to push him away. Little whimpers escape him as his knees grow weak.

It doesn't last long, he's grateful to say, before the man pulls away just enough to speak again, grinning down at him. He cups the boy's chin.

"Oh, sweetheart…" he chuckles, "Of course you are…I don't just give up what belongs to me." He leaves a few more kisses to Edd's lips. "And you _do_ belong to me, Princess…"

Edd sobs in response, unable to speak coherently in his sorrow and fear. Pleased, Terry glances to the clock on the wall. He really shouldn't linger much longer. A quick glance back to the crying child, then he stands straight again.

"Well shit, look at the time…" he sighs, turning away, "Guess I better go…"

Edd thinks carefully about what to do. He has one last tactic, he imagines…Gulping down his fear, he opens his mouth to speak.

"I…I'll tell them…" he forces out shakily.

Terry stops and turns back to him, intrigued. Edd falters for a moment under his gaze before attempting to reinforce his statement.

"M-My parents…" he elaborates, "I-I'll tell them you were here. Th-They won't let you h-hurt me again. They'll protect me."

In response, the man laughs. Edd's surprised by that; highly concerned by what's so funny about what he said. When he calms, Terry eyes the boy carefully with that smug grin.

"Bullshit," he sneers, "Who's gonna believe a kid who's been seeing things?"

Edd feels his heart sink as the realization sets in. He crumbles to his knees, sliding down the wall as the numbness consumes him. Terry leans over him, chuckling deviously.

"Oh, and by the way…" he purrs menacingly, "you still need to be punished for running away from me like that. I should really punish Pipsqueak too but…well you had a choice that day, didn't you?" Edd glances at him, gulping down his fear as the man grimaces at him. "And you chose _wrong_." He bends down a bit further and speaks lower. "But make the _right_ choice this time and _maybe_ I'll be more gentle with you."

Edd offers no response as he sits, shivering on the floor. With that, Terry turns away to leave.

"I'll be back tomorrow for your answer," he informs him, glancing back one last time, "See you soon, Princess."

The boy doesn't move from his spot. He's frozen where he sits, quaking in fear. He hears the back door opening and then shutting, indicating that the man has finally left the house. The tears trickle down his cheeks, followed shortly by sobs that shake his entire form. He holds his head, unable to hold back his crying.

He was right. His therapist. His parents. They were wrong. They were _wrong!_ The paranoia he'd been accused of having had been completely valid. He fights to understand what this all means. Outside the school every morning…Among crowds of unsuspecting people who wouldn't recognize him…Across the street from his therapist's office…He feels sick. How long has this gone on? How long has the man been following him? Watching him? Before he finally noticed? Or before the man _let_ him notice…

His body feels numb and unresponsive. The sobs die down after about half an hour of straight crying. The tears haven't ceased, but he has no more energy in him to wail as he had been.

Suddenly, he hears a door opening. Panic overcomes him and he screams.

"No! No! _Please!_ " he begs, "S-Stay away!"

" _Double D?!_ "

He gasps softly when he hears Eddy's own panicked voice calling for him.

" _Double D!_ " Ed's voice follows, sounding just as worried.

The boy sighs in relief, resting a hand over his heart in a weary effort to quell its pounding in his chest. His two panicked friends are in the kitchen within moments. Eddy is at his side and on his knees instantly, his hand on Edd's arm. Ed is standing beside him, bouncing from what foot to the other. He's not sure how to help.

"What's wrong, Sockhead?!" Eddy demands.

Edd holds his head, still crying heavily; "E-Eddy…Y-Your…"

He stops, thinking carefully about what he should say. Of course, he wants to tell him. Surely Ed and Eddy would do anything they _could_ to protect him…

But…would they even _believe_ him? No one else had and, without any proof, they really have no reason to. He wonders what may happen if he _did_ tell them. Would they think he's crazy? Would they tell him he's being paranoid like everyone else?

And how might Terry respond if he were to discover that he had revealed the man's return? He'd proven that he's capable of entering his home undetected. Would he do the same to Ed and Eddy? Sneak into their homes and bring them harm? That sick feeling returns. Biting his lip, he averts his gaze.

He can't bring himself to do it, fearing whatever consequences may befall him or his friends. Such a damning conclusion, though, drives the tears to fall fresh and hot once again.

" _Double D…?_ "

He feels Ed fall to his knees beside him before the larger boy throws his arms around him in a tight hug.

"Don't cry anymore, Double D!" he blubbers, "Ed will make you feel better again and chase away the evil dark side!"

Edd's nose crinkles at the smell, but he doesn't push him away. It feels nice to be held for once. Instead, he leans into the embrace, slipping his own arms around Ed's middle. Tears falling faster, the sobs begin again as he buries his face in Ed's shoulder.

Ed and Eddy share a confused look, unable to comprehend what's upset their friend so deeply or how to help him. Eddy rubs Edd's back, which seems to help some. The shortest of the trio looks terribly pale. He's only ever seen Edd like this once before and he'd hoped to never see it again. With a pout, he glances at the time. Almost eleven…Taking a deep breath, he forces a smile.

"Hey," he speaks, hoping his voice isn't shaking as much as he thinks it is, "How 'bout we hit up the candy store? Jawbreakers on me?"

Ed gasps; "Really, Eddy?!"

"Yeah," Eddy shrugs back, "My mom gave me my allowance for the week." He nudges Edd gently. "Whadya say, Double D? You in?"

Ed finally releases his quivering friend, who sits back to wipe away his tears. He casts Eddy a warm, genuine smile.

"I-I would enjoy that very much, Eddy…" he sniffles, "Oh…b-but I should really complete my chores first…"

"Aw, c'mon, Edd!" Eddy groans, melodramatically falling back in 'exasperation'.

Edd giggles when his friend peeks at him through one eye for his reaction.

"It shouldn't take long…" Edd assures him, shakily rising to his feet.

Eddy pouts a little as he sits up, noticing sorrowfully that Edd's voice is scratchier than normal from crying. He watches Edd approach the table. With shaking hands, Edd picks up the note to read it.

The capped boy sighs. The typical list of chores, but there's also a note at the bottom.

 _Do not forget your medication, Eddward. And be sure to take your next dose precisely when the timer on your watch indicates._

 _Do not despair, darling. This medicine will make you feel better soon._

 _Love, Mom_

Edd's shoulders fall. _This medicine will make you feel better…_ He fights the urge to sneer. _No it won't._ Of course it won't. He's not hallucinating. He's not imagining Terry's return. This isn't a psychological breakdown that can be remedied with medication.

However…

With a sigh, he glances back at his friends. They're looking at him expectantly, awaiting his response.

"I…I'll need a few minutes," he informs them, forces a smile, "Then we can go."

They perk up a bit, grinning at him.

"Okay, we'll wait down here, then…" Eddy offers, plopping down into one of the chairs.

Ed follows suit, giggling excitedly; "Hurry hurry, Double D!"

The smile Edd gives them becomes more genuine in response before he turns to leave; making his way back upstairs. First thing's first, he'll need to take his medication. He doesn't want to face his parents' wrath by disobeying them. As far as he's aware, the pills have no ill effect aside from how drowsy they made him feel anyway. It shouldn't be too harmful if he takes the prescribed dose…right?

With that done, he sets to work on the few chores he has in store for the day, hoping to put the incident with Terry out of his mind for the time being.

* * *

Perusing the selections in the store. Normally, Edd would gravitate immediately to the jawbreakers along with his friends. However, he finds that he isn't interested today. He can't bring himself to care much for his favorite sweet. It's been quiet, he's glad to say. A nice, peaceful afternoon with his dearest friends. No Kevin. No Nazz. None of the other kids. Just Ed, Eddy, and himself. Such a pleasant change of pace casts a content look over the hatted Ed's visage.

Eddy also hasn't mentioned their argument from yesterday, though Edd's sure the boy is thinking about it. He wonders if he's still angry. He imagines he _would_ be. Eddy had been known to hold grudges…

Yet, he's said nothing. Only excitedly ushered him and Ed to the candy store after Edd had completed his chores. A relief, if Edd could be honest, to know that he didn't need to explain himself. Instead, he could try to relax during their first day together as a trio in months.

Still…As much as he _wants_ to enjoy this perfect afternoon, the knowledge that Terry is keeping a close eye on him constantly pokes and prods at him from the back of his mind, eliciting fresh fear every now and then.

A particularly sharp wave of nausea accosts him in his paranoia. With a sigh, he meanders towards the door. Looking at all of this candy is making him feel sick. He nears the window, peeking outside. Past the several displays and through the glass. He wonders if the man is somewhere out there? He sees nothing, suggesting that that may not be the case, but he wonders if that's even the point. Why let himself be seen, after all?

" _Hey Sockhead!_ " Eddy whines behind him, "Get over here and pick your favorite!"

Edd sighs some, rubbing his forehead.

"N-No thank you, Eddy…" he replies shyly.

"What's the matter?" Eddy pouts, "You okay?"

The taller boy rubs the back of his neck uneasily; "I suppose I'm just…not feeling well. I'll meet you two outside…"

"What?!" Eddy gawks, "But—the jawbreakers!"

"I just need a little fresh air," Edd assures him, forcing a smile, "Please, excuse me."

Gulping down his unease, Edd steps outside. He doesn't move far from the door, remaining just close enough that he can run inside if he needs to, but out of the way of other patrons that may try to enter. He rubs his temples, feeling overwhelmed by his own emotions. He's sure his friends are worried about him. He wishes he could talk to them about this…share his fears and sorrow. Surely that would make him feel better than keeping it all inside like this…?

Instead of acting on any of these thoughts, however, he only lets himself ponder and fret over his options.

Meanwhile, Ed and Eddy watch him from inside with matching frowns. They're not sure what to do. They want to do something — _anything_ — to make him feel better, but what would be the best way?

Eddy glances at the jawbreaker display thoughtfully. Grinning a bit, he digs out some quarters from his pocket. He looks over the selection and finds a minty-flavored gobstopper. One of Edd's favorites, if he remembers correctly. Of course, he lets Ed pick out one for himself and he grabs one as well — they _had_ come here to get sweets for them as a trio, after all — before taking the three jawbreakers to the cashier. Then it's outside to join Edd.

The melancholy boy is leaning against the wall, his back resting against the front window. He's staring down at the ground, lost in thought, with a worried look on his face. With a grin, Eddy approaches him silently before holding the jawbreaker in his line of sight. Edd's surprised, looking down at the treat with wide eyes.

"Wh-What's this?" he stutters.

"Whatdya think it is, Double D?" Eddy snickers, "I told ya; jawbreakers are on me. Here's yours."

With shaking hands, Edd accepts the jawbreaker. The sugar coating is slick over the bumpy surface and it has a certain weight as he cradles it in his hands. He stares at it, as though he cannot process what he's seeing. After everything that's happened…After how horrible he'd acted towards Eddy yesterday…And he still purchased this jawbreaker for him? His chest feels tight as his eyes burn with tears.

Everything he'd been dreading. Everything Terry had said about them. All wrong. He still can't say much in regard to his family or the kids at school, but this tiny act of kindness is more than enough to remind Edd that the two really _did_ care. Showing it had just become few and far between, it seemed.

" _Double D…?_ "

Edd glances up at the two. Ed's lower lip is trembling as he clutches his own jawbreaker tightly to his chest. Eddy's watching him carefully, his brow furrowed. He doesn't say much after Ed's initial whimper, and instead waits for Edd to speak.

"Th…Thank you, Eddy…" he sniffles, "This…This is so…" He rubs his eyes, fighting back his sobs. "Th-Thank you…"

Eddy's caught off guard as Edd throws himself at him. Arms around his dear friend's neck and face buried in Eddy's shoulder as he cries, hunched over to accommodate Eddy's height. He presses the jawbreaker against Eddy's back, unable to do much else with it as he clings tightly to the boy.

"D-Double D?!" Eddy gasps, "What the heck?!"

Edd doesn't answer, weeping into Eddy's shoulder. The two are startled some as Ed starts crying too, as though his friend's grief were a contagion. He throws his arms around the two of them, hugging them both tight. Eddy groans a bit in discomfort, but chooses to let the hug continue, afraid to upset Edd any further.

Edd, meanwhile, is focusing on unloading his emotions upon his friends. He cannot articulate his thoughts, but it feels so good to let out his sorrow rather than keep it inside to allow it to fester.

"C-C'mon, Sockhead…" Eddy mumbles, awkwardly rubbing his friend's back. "I-It's okay…"

The taller boy doesn't let go for several minutes, though his sobs die down significantly. He cries softly against Eddy's shoulder. After he's calm, he pulls away again, rubbing at his eyes. Ed's grip loosens as well so that Eddy can take a step back.

"I-I'm sorry…" he mumbles, "For deteriorating in front of you like that…And…And for how…'insufferable' I've been…" He brushes a few stray hairs from his eyes, tucking them under his hat. "I…I've had so much on my mind…"

"Aw, do not fret, Double D!" Ed cries, rubbing the top of his head affectionately before hugging him tight again, "Ed is here!"

Edd whimpers in discomfort, hoping to adjust his hat which had been skewed by his friend, but unable to do so while locked in the odd embrace. Eddy observes him carefully. He definitely needs to talk to him about this. Something's wrong and he intends to get to the bottom of it. He has a feeling he should do so without Ed, but perhaps distracting him will be sufficient rather than just sending him away?

He puts on a smile; "Give 'im some air, Ed."

Ed glances at Edd, startled when he sees the boy struggling, and releases him. Immediately, Edd fixes his hat back into place.

"Thank you, Eddy…" he murmurs.

"Don't sweat it, Sockhead," Eddy snickers back, "Well, Ed, ain't you gonna _enjoy_ that jawbreaker?"

"Oh goodie _goodie!_ " Ed cries, shoving his jawbreaker into his mouth.

Eddy holds off doing the same and tucks the treat under his arm. Edd, however, looks at his own with a melancholy expression.

"What's the matter?" Eddy asks, "You don't like it?"

"Oh no! No!" Edd stutters, "I-I'm so grateful for it, but…I-I just don't think I'm much in the mood for it at the moment…" He holds it out towards his shorter friend. "Here, why don't you take it? I feel you deserve it far more than me anyway."

Eddy shakes his head, pushing it back towards Edd.

"No way, Double D," he assures him with a shrug, "That's yours. If you're not up for it now, just save it for later, kay?"

The taller boy gives him a soft look, hugging the candy to his chest.

The sweet moment doesn't last, however, as a beeping startles the boys from their reverie. Edd glances down at his wristwatch with a grimace before shutting off the alarm.

"What's that for…?" Eddy asks as he watches Edd reach into his pocket.

Without answering, Edd reluctantly retrieves the bottle of pills.

"What the hell are those?!" Eddy demands, "You're taking meds now?!"

They've gained Ed's attention again. He rushes back over to the two, looking concerned.

Edd sighs; "Yes, my…my therapist believes that…I've begun hallucinating."

"Hallucinating?" Eddy echoes, "You mean they think you're seeing things now?"

Edd nods in response, struggling with the cap.

"What the fuck, Edd?!" Eddy gapes, "That's _stupid!_ You don't need those."

The taller boy shrugs; "Mother and father are keeping track of my dosage. If I don't take my medication, they may punish me…"

"Do not take them, Double D!" Ed pleads, "What if they are mind-control capsules?! They will burrow into your brain and make you a zombie!"

"That's absurd, Ed," Edd retorts, "I-I've been taking these since yesterday. I'm fine."

"Since _yesterday?!_ " Eddy gawks, "Why didn't you tell us?!"

"I didn't want to…to worry you…" Edd shrugs.

"No wonder you've been so…'emotional'…" Eddy grumbles.

He reaches out and snatches the bottle away.

"E-Eddy!" Edd gasps, "Give those back!"

"No way!" Eddy snaps back, reading over the label. He grimaces as he opens the bottle, taking out two of the pills — Edd's recommended dosage. "I'll show you what I think of you taking this brainwashing bullshit!"

With that, he throws the tablets down a nearby storm drain, delighting in the clinking sounds they make before the inevitable _plop_ as they reach the water. With a nod, he caps the pills again before shoving them back to Edd.

"There," he states assertively, "You shouldn't take any more of that. Just throw 'em away."

"B-But Eddy…" Edd whines, "Wh-What will Mother and Father say if they find out?! Th-They'll be so upset…" He shifts a bit from one foot to the other. "I mean…I-I don't _want_ to take them…I'm very confident that I don't _actually_ need them, but…th-they know what's best for me…"

"You sure about that?" Eddy scoffs. "C'mon, Sockhead, just trust me on this. That's not gonna help you."

Edd sighs. _Very true._

"I suppose you're right…"

"Of course I'm right!" Eddy shrugs, "That's why _I'm_ in charge!"

Edd rolls his eyes, chuckling some; "Yes, I suppose it is…"

"Hey, why don't you hang out at my place tonight?" Eddy offers.

"On a school night?" Edd gapes.

"Yeah, we can tell the folks it's a study session or somethin'," Eddy explains, "Whatdya say?"

Edd frowns, bowing his head.

"My sincerest apologies, Eddy…" he replies, rubbing the back of his neck, "I-I'm afraid Mother has forbidden me to sleep over at your home. She doesn't want me staying at the house where…well…where Terry's old room is, I imagine…I think she might be afraid…i-if he were to come back…that would be the easiest place for him to enter. "

Eddy pouts a bit, feeling hurt by his revelation. He can't deny that it's a valid point. He and his parents still haven't heard from Terry at all, but he could easily return home without warning at any time. With a sigh, he nods.

"Yeah, I guess I get where she's comin' from," he relents, "Okay…let's head on home anyway."

Edd pouts a bit; "Do you want to go to Kevin's or Nazz's home?"

Eddy catches the sorrow in his tone and grins at him; "You kiddin'? I'd rather watch one of Ed's B-movies with you two…"

Ed gasps; "Can we really, Eddy?!"

"Well hell yeah we can, Burrhead," Eddy retorts, before turning to Edd, "Whatdya say, Double D?"

Edd smiles happily.

"Y-Yes!" he cries, "That sounds wonderful, Eddy…"

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Thank you all for reading! Please leave us a review and we'll see you in the next chapter! Bye bye!_


	7. A Penny For Your Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Hello, everyone and welcome back! Also, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Tis be the day of giving and of joy, so we bring to you all a lovely present! An UPDATE! Enjoy it everyone!  
_

 _Battygirl: A very merry Christmas to all our wonderful readers! Thank you all for your continued support. We're all so thankful for the reviews and comments we've received. Please don't forget to leave a review to tell us what you think of the chapter. Critiques are always welcome. Enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: A Penny For Your Edd**

* * *

"Oh boy! _Oh boy!_ "

Edd giggles softly at Ed's genuine excitement as they descend the stairs, his jawbreaker tucked securely under his arm. Eddy had enjoyed his own on the walk back and it seems to have finally finished dissolving in his mouth. Every now and then, he licks his lips, enjoying the lingering, sugary remnants.

"So what movie d'ya have in mind, Monobrow?" Eddy asks as they enter Ed's bedroom.

"Oh! There are _so_ many choices!" Ed gasps, making a bee-line for his video collection.

Stepping further into the room, Edd becomes more aware of the filth. Sidestepping rotting food and suspicious mold, he fights the urge to wretch. It's nothing new, of course, but it's still quite off-putting. He's brought from his distaste with the room itself by Ed as his taller companion begins listing off movie titles.

"Oh! There's _Attack of the Dragon Breath!_ " he cries, "Oh! _Oh!_ Or how about _Medusa's Hair Salon_?! With real 'Hair Raising Horror'! Or maybe _Curse of the Witches!_ Oh! What about _Incontinence of the Headless Horsemen_?! Director's cut."

"How 'bout you actually _pick_ a movie, numbskull?" Eddy snickers, plopping down onto the armchair in the room, "Let's get this show on the road!"

Ed ponders this carefully for a moment before beaming. He grabs a VHS tape. The box is simple in it's design. White, with a red outline of a bloody meat cleaver and the title ' _Danny The Butcher_ '. Edd recalls seeing it in Ed's stash before, but he can't recollect ever actually watching it. By the cover and title, he can only assume it must have something to do with a psychopath who probably likes to dismember his victims. Not the most prospecting venture, he imagines, but it may at least be effective enough to pass the time.

"Jeez Ed, way to go big or go home," Eddy scoffs, "We're really gonna start with a slasher flick?"

"But it is _so_ good, Eddy!" Ed whines, "It tells the tale of a sinister slaughterer who uses a big axe to chop up his victims!"

"Oh my…" Edd mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck, "That certainly does sound…intense…Are we even old enough to view this film?"

Ed giggles; "Maybe…"

"Oh yeah?" Eddy grins, casting Ed a devious look.

He jumps to his feet and snatches the video from Ed's hands. A quick scan of the back of the box gives him the answer to his unasked question.

"Woah!" he gasps, "R-rating! Way to _go,_ Lumpy!"

Edd sighs; "I don't know about this, Eddy…"

"C'mon, Double D!" Eddy whines, "It can't be _that_ bad!" He turns to Edd with that same mischievous grin. "So, aside from a bunch of slasher bullshit, what else does this movie got?"

Ed starts giggling again. Eddy's grin becomes more genuine.

"I _like_ that answer!" he cries enthusiastically.

Realizing that the viewing of this movie is inevitable, Edd sets his jawbreaker onto the chair cushion.

"It's not… _t-too_ scary…is it, Ed?" he asks shakily.

" _Oh_ but it _is_!" Ed replies bouncing slightly up and down.

Within the blink of an eye, he shifts his posture, emulating that of a spooky storyteller. When he speaks again, his tone changing to be slightly deeper and more threatening.

"During the day," he begins ominously, "the evil villain is but an average butcher, running a meat store!" He starts to advance on his two friends, looking more and more menacing. "But at _night!_ He searches for his victims!"

"Ed…" Edd whines, shivering a bit, "You're beginning to frighten me…"

Ed ignores this.

"Nothing can halt his wrath!" he announces, throwing his arms up and curling his fingers to look like claws, "Nothing shall quench his thirst for blood!"

He releases a roar before charging towards Edd. When the smarter boy releases a squeak and starts running around the room to escape the would-be psychopath, Eddy releases a sharp laugh.

"Eddy, this isn't funny!" Edd whines, panting some already.

"Better keep runnin', Sockhead," Eddy teases, "Or the Big Bad Burrhead might get ya!"

" _Eddy!_ "

To finally put a stop to this, Edd runs behind him, using his shorter friend as a human shield. Eddy pales some as Ed continues the act.

"Alright alright!" he cries, throwing his own arms up to shield himself, "Knock it off, Ed!"

Too little, too late. Ed crashes into them, sending the three boys to the floor. After a moment or two, Ed starts laughing.

"You guys shoulda seen your faces!" he cries through his cackling.

Edd and Eddy share a look of surprise before the mirth spreads to them. They begin giggling and snickering before bursting into all-out laughter along with their thick-headed friend.

"You were so fuckin' scared, Sockhead!" Eddy howls.

Instead of becoming indignant, Edd merely giggles in response; "Well, we can't all be the brave hero like _you_ , now can we, Eddy?"

"Nope!" Eddy shrugs.

They can't stop the laughter now that it's taken them. They don't even bother getting up from their little dog pile in their merriment. The floor is far more comfortable right now.

When they finally _do_ calm down and catch their breath, Eddy starts pushing at Ed.

"Alright," he groans playfully, "Now get offa me, Lumpy! Ya weigh a ton!"

Ed snickers back and rolls off of them, allowing his friends to sit up. Eddy glances at Edd.

"You ready to watch the real thing, Sockhead?" he asks slyly.

Edd giggles; "Yes, I think I can manage."

"Good, cuz I can't imagine this movie's any scarier than Lothor over there…" Eddy notes, jabbing his thumb in Ed's direction as he winks at Edd, making the boy chuckle more.

"Oh! Oh!" Ed cries, "You guys want some snacks?!"

"Offering us snacks?" Edd notes, startled, "Really?"

" _Yup!_ " Ed cries, "Ed is the _best_ host!"

Edd's pleasantly surprised by this; that Ed had actually _remembered_ that little discussion.

"I could eat," Eddy shrugs back, "How 'bout some chips? And maybe some soda?"

"A soda _does_ sound pleasant," Edd agrees.

"Okay!" Ed cries, running to the door, "Be right back, guys!"

Edd smiles happily after him, touched by the effort. After picking up his jawbreaker, he takes a seat in the armchair to wait for Ed's return. Eddy glances at him, looking a little uneasy. He waits until he hears the telltale signs of Ed fumbling about in the kitchen upstairs before turning to Edd fully.

"Hey…" he begins shyly, "Y'know…now that we got a sec…I was thinkin' we could…y'know…talk?"

Edd turns to him, startled; "Oh? Talk about what?"

Eddy grimaces a bit, wishing Edd wouldn't make him spell it out.

"Well…anything you want, I guess…?" he shrugs, sitting down next to him, "We haven't really talked too much, you 'n me…"

Edd hunches his shoulders; "I suppose not…"

Eddy waits for him to speak — to be the one to initiate the conversation. When he doesn't, he sighs, assuming he'll have to start instead.

"Um…I uh…I'm sorry…" he says softly, "For yesterday…I didn't mean to make you mad or anything…I mean, I know you've had a lot on your mind…"

The taller boy bows his head; "I should apologize too…I'm sorry I've been so difficult lately…I…I really appreciate you and Ed putting up with me…"

Eddy's a bit surprised by that statement. He attempts to make light of it.

"No different than usual…" he scoffs, nudging him.

Edd rolls his eyes; "Thank you for that, Eddy…"

"Heh, you know me," Eddy says with a wink, "Smooth as fuck."

"Language," Edd chastises cheekily.

They share a short moment of silence before Ed returns, food and drinks in hand. Eddy sighs a bit. He'd hoped to get something more _substantial_ out of Edd before the big lug could come back.

However, at this point, he can't do much about it. He doesn't want to accidentally upset Ed as well with what he needs to talk to Edd about. Unfortunately, his questions will have to remain on the back burner.

For now…

* * *

Screams fill the room. Blood splattering every which way. A menacing figure standing before them. Blood coating his body and covering his hands. Raising his weapon to strike. A shrill scream echoes, resonating in the air.

And a very happy Ed is seated almost directly in front of the screen.

He bounces excitedly, waiting for the murdering sociopath on the television to finish the woman off. As gruesome as the film is, Edd finds himself comforted. To be back with his dearest friends, watching a movie — even one as gory as this — makes him smile.

He and Eddy are seated on the sizable armchair in Ed's basement bedroom. Ed _had_ been sitting with them as well, completing their little dog pile, before moving to sit on the floor with his face nearly pressed against the screen.

"Ed, you really shouldn't sit so close to the television," Edd chides gently.

Ed groans unintelligibly in response, drawing his friend to sigh softly.

"Let it go, Sockhead," Eddy grumbles, "You know he doesn't give a shit."

"Still…" Edd sighs "It's not good for his eyes."

"I think his eyes are the least of our worries," Eddy laughs.

Edd giggles a bit; "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Suddenly, Ed jolts to his feet. Edd gasps softly, covering his mouth. Had he and Eddy offended the boy with their jests? Instead of turning to them, however, he instead fumbles around for the remote. When he finds it, he quickly pauses the video.

"Sorry guys!" he cries, bouncing from one food to the other with his hand between his legs, "I really gotta go to the bathroom!"

"Then _go,_ stupid!" Eddy snaps, slapping his hand over his eyes, "Before you pee yourself."

With that, he races from the room and up the stairs, bypassing the bathroom connected to his own bedroom.

"Ed _does_ realize that he has a lavatory down here, doesn't he…?" Edd asks, glancing at Eddy.

"I think Ed would forget his own brain if it wasn't trapped in his thick skull…" Eddy grumbles back.

Edd shrugs a bit, sitting back against the chair; "I suppose that's a good point…"

A silence stretches between them. Edd can see that Eddy's got something on his mind, but he's afraid to ask what that might be.

"Edd…" the shorter boy mumbles, "We need to talk…for _real_ this time."

Edd shifts uncomfortably.

"About what?" he asks shyly.

"Don't gimme that," Eddy retorts, "You know what I'm talkin' about. What's going on with you lately?"

"I don't know what you mean…" Edd shrugs, "I-I told you. I've just felt…really stressed…"

Eddy sits up onto his knees and turns to him fully; "Edd, don't bullshit me." He pauses, biting his lip a bit. "Is…Is this about my brother?"

Edd tenses some. He tries to relax before Eddy can notice, but it's too late.

"Edd, what's going on?" he demands gently, "Have you been…thinking about him a lot?" He swallows some. "Do you still have nightmares about him?"

Edd starts to curl up a bit.

"Eddy, please," he begs, "It's not important…"

"Yes it _is_ , Edd," Eddy grimaces, "You gotta tell me what's wrong. You…" He deflates some. "You gotta know that you can _talk_ to me."

Edd bows his head; "There's nothing to talk _about._ I assure you, Eddy, I…I'm fine…"

"No you're not, Edd," Eddy counters, leaning over towards him, "You've been freakin' out for the past week and have been acting crazy."

"Stop," Edd pouts, his brow furrowed as he starts to tug at his hat, "Please, Eddy…I really don't want to talk about this…"

"I'm not givin' you an option!" Eddy snaps back, "Edd, you gotta tell me!"

Edd glances to him pitifully. Eddy sighs and lowers his tone.

"Edd, please…" he begs, " _Is_ this about my brother?" Edd looks away immediately, leading Eddy to take that as a yes. "Why? You're back home and far _far_ away from him. Why is that what's bothering you?"

Edd doesn't answer immediately. He vaguely wonders what's taking Ed so long, but dismisses it when he hears Sarah upstairs, her muffled voice nagging him to pick up a few things he'd left around the house. Biting his lip, he turns to Eddy again.

"I've just…I've been…scared…" he stutters, "I've been…thinking about what might happen if…if he came back…?"

"What?" Eddy makes a face at that, "Dee, there's…there's no way he's gonna do something like that."

"Are you really so sure?" Edd asks, shivering some, "Do you really think he wouldn't?"

"Well…yeah," Eddy shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck. He looks uncomfortable by what he's saying, but is pushing himself to continue. "My brother might be a huge jerk, but he's not stupid. There's no way he'd come back, Edd."

"But what if he _does?_ "

"He won't," Eddy pouts a little, looking away from him.

Edd can hear a strain in his voice, almost like Eddy's trying to convince himself too.

"But _what if—_ "

"He _won't,_ Edd!" Eddy snaps, rising to his feet and keeping his back towards Edd, "What the _hell_?! Why would he do something so _stupid?!_ Of course he's not gonna come back for you! He never even came back for _me_ and you're…" He holds his head, trying to calm down. "I just…I know it, Double D. He's not gonna come back for _you_. If I know my brother, he aint interested in anything 'long term'. You're safe from him, okay? So you can fuckin' relax."

He waits for a response. A relieved sigh, a soft _thank you, Eddy._ When he receives none of that, he turns around. Instead of relief, Edd looks more upset. Clutching his hat and barely able to hold in his tears.

"D-Double D…?" Eddy stutters, startled.

"You're right…" the boy mumbles, stumbling to his feet, "H-How foolish of me to…to worry…After all, I…I'm not worth that kind of effort, right? A-And it _would_ be most unwise for him to…to come back…"

"Edd, c'mon," Eddy frowns, "I didn't mean it like _that…_ " Edd grabs his jawbreaker and turns to the door. "Wh-Where are you going?"

"Oh…uh…" Edd glances at his watch, "I-I just recalled; Mother and Father wanted me home soon. M-My apologies, Eddy…but I'm afraid I must bid you ado for today."

Without giving Eddy a chance to argue, Edd races from the room and up the stairs. He nearly collides with Ed, who's started walking down.

"Where ya goin', Double D?" the larger boy asks.

"Apologies, dear Ed," Edd stutters back, "I'm afraid I must return home. I-I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Aww…" Ed pouts for a moment before putting a big smile on his face and hugging his friend tight, "Okay, Double D! See you tomorrow!"

When Ed releases him, Edd races up the stairs and out of the house. When he closes the front door, he suddenly feels very exposed. He looks around uneasily, seeing nothing. He regrets not telling Eddy the truth. But…after that display…After what he said…Edd wonders if he would believe or even entertain the idea that his brother had indeed returned.

No, for now, keeping this to himself is best. At least from Ed and Eddy. Though, perhaps when he can figure out _how_ to tell them, he will.

Taking a deep breath, Edd begins walking towards his own house. He walks quickly, but does not break into a run just yet. If he's going to be ambushed, he intends to conserve his energy until he _needs_ it. Being just down the street, he arrives home quickly and without incident. When he slips inside, he heaves a soft sigh of relief.

" _Eddward?_ " he hears his mother call from the kitchen, " _Is that you, sweetheart?_ "

Edd licks his lips, steeling his frayed nerves.

"Yes!" he calls back.

" _Are Ed and Eddy with you?_ " There's a warning tone in her voice.

Edd sighs wearily; "They _were!_ " He pushes himself off the door and makes his way to the kitchen as well. "They…walked me home and then left. I'm afraid their parents were adamant that they return home immediately."

When he walks into the room, he sees his mother looking pleased by this report. However, he also notices the phone in her hand and stack of papers on the counter beside her. His father is seated at the table, hunched over his own paperwork with his cellphone pressed to his ear. He's talking very animatedly about things Edd knows not. Though he _is_ aware that it concerns work.

"One moment, please," Valerie says into the receiver before turning her attention to him, "Dinner is almost ready, Eddward. Go wash your hands, please."

With that, she returns to her phone conversation. Edd's discouraged by that, but obeys without hesitation. He enters the bathroom and sets to washing his hands thoroughly.

It's nice to see them here at home, but Edd would be lying if he said he weren't a bit disappointed to know that the two must bring their work _with_ them so that they _could_ be here with him. It's almost like they're not home at all.

He wonders if he should tell them…Of course, they _are_ under the impression that he's begun hallucinating, but surely that will be forgotten when he tells them that Terry is back for him and that the man had _broken into their house!_

Taking a deep breath, he looks at his reflection. He can still remember the bruises that Terry had left on him. It's like he can still see them, like lingering shadows that won't fade. He tears his eyes away, fighting back the nausea the memories bring him. No, he can't bear to endure more of that. His parents will protect him, he's sure.

Exiting the bathroom, he returns to the kitchen. As he walks, he recites what he should say in his head. ' _Mother, Father…I-I have horrible news…' No no…That won't do…'Mother, Father! You must help me. Terry has returned and he intends to take me away!' Hmm…perhaps that's too much… 'Mother, Father…I…I'm…afraid…'_

He stops in the doorway when he enters the now empty kitchen. A bowl of spaghetti sits on the table, a few sticky notes beside it. Upon closer inspection, he discovers them to have been written by his mother.

 _Deepest apologies, Eddward._

 _Your father and I must retire to our study with our meal to continue working._

 _Enjoy your dinner. Then wash up and go straight to bed._

 _Love Mom_

He sighs, shoulders slumping sorrowfully. Feeling numb, he takes a seat. Picking up his fork, he tucks in, rolling the noodles onto the utensil. Resting his head in his hand as he leans on the table. He takes a bite. Very tasty. His mother never uses store-bought sauces despite their convenience. It's a small comfort, at least. However, it's not enough to quell his sorrows.

He pokes and prods at his food, his appetite waning. A shiver runs up his spine and he glances behind him to the window. Nothing there, of course, but he suddenly feels terribly uncomfortable. Hunching his shoulders, he turns away again, brow furrowed. Is… _he_ watching…? Can Terry see him? Can he see him sitting here, alone? Is he delighting in Edd's solitude? Breathing deeply, he tries to force himself through the rest of the meal. Every now and then, he glances outside, half-expecting to see the man watching him.

Finally, his paranoia gets the better of him. His appetite gone, he rises from the table. After washing his dishes and storing his leftovers in the refrigerator, he retreats upstairs.

* * *

Tossing and turning beneath his covers, whimpering softly with each fitful movement. Whenever he closes his eyes, he sees his tormentor. Feeling like he's being watched. Feeling like the man is lurking just outside his window in the nearby tree, waiting for the opportunity to slip inside and take him again. His time spent with his dear friends could only assuage his fears for so long. Now, lying in his bed, alone, all manner of horrible possibilities cross his mind.

Realizing that sleep is not a possibility at this time, he sits up. He holds his head, breathing heavily as the images accost him of just what may happen. Horrible, painful visions of being grabbed by the man and thrown around. Beaten until he can no longer move. Raped and made to feel so worthless and used. He can hardly bear the thought.

But…had the Terry that he'd seen in his kitchen even been real? Surely if it had indeed been Terry, someone would have _seen_ him enter and leave his house, right? Surely the man couldn't have gone unnoticed? Or could he have? Is it possible that Terry had indeed managed to sneak around the cul-de-sac? Edd's not sure anymore. So terribly unsure what is real and what isn't. His tears fall fast and hot down his cheeks.

" _Please…_ " he begs, trying to wipe the tears away, "Make it _stop…_ "

Of course, no one answers, he starts crying harder. He's amazed he can manage any tears at all at this point. It feels like crying is all he's done today.

"Make it stop!" he's not sure when he starts screaming, holding his head in a futile attempt to force the images accosting his mind to cease, "Please!"

He only just hears his door open and a pair of figures enter the room.

" _Eddward?_ " his mother gasps, at his side in moments.

He falls into her, clinging to her tightly.

"What's wrong?" Samuel asks, sitting beside him as well and putting a hand to Edd's back.

"I…I don't know what to do!" Edd sobs back, "I-I've…I've b-been seeing Terry…E-Everywhere and…a-and…"

"Shh…" Samuel breathes, "Dr. Underwood already told us about what you've been seeing, Eddward. That's why he gave you the medication."

"No no!" Edd whimpers, "It's not what you all think it is!" He tries to calm himself, rubbing desperately at his eyes to make the tears stop, "I-I've been seeing him everywhere because he's _here!_ H-He's b-been following me! H-He came _back_ for me!"

His parents are silent as they absorb this information. They share a look of concern before looking back to Edd.

"Eddward…sweetheart…" Valerie sighs, rubbing his back, "That…That is not possible…"

"Yes it is!" Edd insists.

"Your mother's right, Eddward," Samuel concurs, "There's no way that man would return for you."

"But he _did!_ "

"Eddward," his father begins, his gentle tone ebbing slightly, "I can assure you, you're perfectly safe."

"No I'm _not!_ " Edd argues, " _Please!_ You must believe me! He broke into our home! He-He threatened to hurt me again! He wants to take me away!"

"Eddward, that's not possible," Samuel states sternly.

"There is no way that beast could intrude in our home unnoticed," Valerie agrees, "These hallucinations of yours have made you irrational."

"They're _not_ hallucinations!" Edd asserts, "I swear! I'm _not_ seeing things! Terry's come back and he's going to take me away again!"

"That's enough!" Samuel snaps.

When Edd flinches, the man takes a breath to calm himself.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, Eddward," he vows, "This delusion you're suffering from will be alleviated in time. For now you mustn't let it get to you. If you take your medication, you'll feel better."

"No I _won't_!" Edd pleads, "You don't understand!"

"Eddward, did you take your medication before bed?" his mother asks softly.

"Mother, _please!_ This isn't about some medication that won't actually work!"

" _Did you take your medicine?_ " she repeats, sounding more demanding.

Reluctantly, Edd bows his head; "N…No…I haven't yet…"

Valerie turns to her husband and nods her head toward the bottle of pills on the night stand. Taking the signal, the man grabs the bottle and opens it. He holds a couple of pills towards Edd. The child looks from them to his father.

" _Please!_ " he begs, his tears choking him, "I'm not making this up! I've not fabricated this in my own mind! It's _real!_ Why won't you _believe_ me?!"

"Eddward," the man sighs, "Even if you're telling the truth…and you very well _could_ be…it doesn't mean that what you're saying is any less of a fantasy. It doesn't mean that it's not just part of the hallucinations caused by severe stress." He holds the pills in front of Edd insistingly. "Take your medicine, Eddward. You'll feel better."

"No I _won't_!" Edd repeats, "I _know_ I won't!"

"Take it," Samuel demands, "We aren't leaving until you do and you have class in the morning. Now take your medicine so we can all get some much needed sleep."

"Samuel…" Valerie chides gently.

Shivering, Edd accepts the tablets into his hand. Samuel then retrieves the glass of water on the nightstand and hands it to Edd as well. With tears falling silently down his cheeks, Edd takes the dose along with the water. His father nods in approval.

"Good," he states firmly as he pats Edd's head, "Don't worry, son. You'll feel better soon."

Valerie rubs Edd's back affectionately before placing a gentle kiss to his temple.

"Just give it time, sweetheart," she agrees.

With that, they rise from the bed.

"Sleep well, Eddward," Valerie bids warmly as she tucks him back under his covers.

Edd watches them leave, feeling the hopelessness consume him.

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Thanks for reading and leave us a review! Have a good holiday and don't drink too much eggnog! We'll see you all in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	8. A Bro After My Own Heart

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Hello everyone! We're back again and this time we bring some good news. Next week, Bro's Play is back OFFICIALLY! YAY!_

 _Battygirl: Hello. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. Or, I guess, those of you who are still even reading it. I don't really have a lot to say for this one. I hope it's alright. Honestly, I can't always tell so. Please let us know what you think. Don't forget to leave a comment._

* * *

 **Chapter 8: A Bro After My Own Heart  
**

* * *

Stomach in knots as he walks through the hall. Ed and Eddy are chattering a few steps ahead of him. The taller boy is reenacting a scene from the movie they'd watched, much to Eddy's amusement.

It's good to see Eddy's mood lifted like this. He'd been very uneasy when he'd come to visit Edd this morning. He'd arrived before Ed, hoping to apologize for upsetting him yesterday.

 _Water under the bridge…_ had been Edd's response. He'd hoped it would make his friend drop the matter. It seemed to work, but every now and then his shorter companion would look back at him in concern. After entering the school again, however, his attention towards Edd had waned more and more in his distraction — a distraction Edd finds himself most grateful for.

They reach their lockers. Edd enters his combination slowly, mechanically. He wonders if he should have even come to school today? He imagines staying at home would have been no better. With his parents gone and Ed and Eddy at school, he'd have just been there alone.

And alone is certainly not wise for him at this time. Better to be here, even if he's a bit uncomfortable.

He raises his eyes as the locker clicks open, ready to reach in to retrieve his books. Before pulling the door open, however, he spots something amiss. Stuck in the metal grate just above his eye level is a folded paper. He sighs a bit. What had his fellow students left for him today…? With a weary look, he pulls the paper from the slit and looks over it. The sick feeling worsens at the scratchy handwriting on one side.

 _Read this, Princess_

He shivers, glancing around. Ed and Eddy are talking with each other, ignoring him for a moment. Biting his lip, he shakily unfolds the paper; his chest feeling tight. There's a lot of writing within; the majority of the page covered in the messy handwriting. It's still legible, though, and Edd pales as he reads over it.

Filthy…horrible musings detailing perverse acts that are intended for him. Thought it's not signed, Edd knows this isn't from any of his classmates. Not even the most depraved students in the school could think up any of _this._ He shudders. In disgust or desire, he's not sure. Yes, it's all wretched and, as his eyes skim over the words, his cheeks burn in embarrassment, but a part of him picks up on the small words of affection laced throughout.

" _Whatcha readin', Double D_?" Eddy asks, startling him.

He slaps his hands together, quickly folding the paper up again. He's sure his face is bright red as he holds the note to his chest.

"N-Nothing!" he mumbles, folding it up a little more before stuffing it under his hat.

He can't dispose of it in front of them. He can't risk them seeing _this_. As badly as he wants to make them believe him about Terry, he can't bear to let them read this… _filth._

"You okay, Double D?" Ed asks, leaning over him.

Edd hunches over some, one hand gripping his hat.

"O-Of course, Ed!" he stutters, opening his locker, "B-Best not dally! Th-The bell will be ringing soon. Don't wanna b-be late, right?!"

The two observe him carefully as he retrieves his books. More than once, he nearly loses his grip on them. Ed catches a few of them before they fall.

"Butterfingers," Ed teases playfully.

Edd swallows uneasily; "Th-Thank you, Ed…"

Shyly, he takes his books back and closes his locker again.

"Sh-Shall we?"

Without waiting for their response, he rushes down the hall to their homeroom. His friends follow him, unsure how to handle this odd behavior. Upon arriving in the classroom, they find Edd at his seat, looking terribly uncomfortable.

"You sure you're okay, Sockhead?" Eddy asks as he takes his seat behind him.

"Y-Yes…" the taller boy stutters back, "J-Just fine…"

Eddy tries to reason with him — to make Edd confess what's upsetting him — but his friend remains obstinate until the class begins, offering him reprieve.

Reprieve, at least, from the incessant questions, but not from his own worries. Throughout the class, his mind is distracted. Fingers twitching with a disturbing need to look at the note again. Every now and then, he slips a couple of fingers beneath his hat to check that it's even there; feeling them brush against the surface of the paper. Every time he receives that confirmation, he cringes. Yes, it's there. It's real. A part of him wants to read it again. Had he been mistaken about what it said?

Of course, he doesn't _dare_ look at it during this class. Not when his fellow students could look over his shoulder and see it. He tries so hard to focus on the class itself, tugging at his hat every now and then in a weak attempt to keep his focus. Eyes flickering to the clock every few minutes. The class _drags_ on.

He feels something flick the back of his neck. Whipping around, he turns to Eddy, only to have his friend shove a slip of paper towards him. He glances at the front of the class, where their teacher is writing something on the board. Reaching back, he accepts the note and quickly straightens up as the man turns around again, hoping the note passing had gone unnoticed.

Nothing is said in his direction, so, when the lecture continues, Edd reads over the scribbled note.

 _What's wrong? You're acting weirder than usual._

Edd grimaces a bit, glancing back at him. He poises his pencil over the paper, ready to write a response. He wonders what he should say. Should he try to explain it now? Should he tell him? He sighs softly. No, of course he can't. Even if Eddy _did_ believe him, now's not the time.

 _Not now, Eddy,_ he replies in his neat handwriting. _We can talk after school._

Swallowing down his unease, he raises his eyes back to the front of the class, waiting for the opportune moment to hand the paper back to Eddy. When their teacher turns to write something on the board, he does so, holding the page over his shoulder. Eddy takes it and Edd leans forward, hunching over his desk. Hoping that the matter will be dropped, he focuses on his notes.

He doesn't look back at Eddy until the class finally ends. The bell rings and Edd collects his books. Eddy stands up.

"You mean it, Sockhead?" he asks seriously.

"Yes, Eddy…" Edd replies shakily, "Just…now's not the best time, okay?"

Eddy sighs; "Alright, fine…I'm holdin' you to that, Double D."

Ed looks on, confused, as Edd nods to him before excusing himself. When he's out of their sights, he retrieves the note from under his hat. It's crumpled from being stowed away, but he can still make out the writing on the front. He tucks it away in one of the books in his arms as he ascends the stairs to the second floor.

Once in his seat in the classroom, he lays the note upon his desk and then sets his notebook atop it. Class begins shortly after. Edd wants to focus on this instead, but his curiosity takes him. Licking his lips, he slides the note out from under the memo pad and begins reading.

 _Very good, Princess. You see how good it feels to just do as you're told? Well, now I'll give you something good in return. A little preview of what you'll get when you give me my yes._

A cold, dreaded feeling spreads through his chest. He glances around at his class. No eyes upon him, not even Ms. Howard's as she addresses the entire class with her lecture. He doesn't allow his gaze to drift out the window and instead returns his attention to the letter.

 _The things I'll do to you, my little darling…My lovely…_

He feels his cheeks burning. Fidgeting, he tries to hide it, hoping no one sees.

 _Can't wait to tie you up with a pretty bow. A little present, just for me. No one will ever touch you again but me. And that's what you want, isn't it, my little Princess? My prize._

He swallows the lump that's settled in his throat. He feels filthy just _reading_ all of this. He wonders if he should stop.

He doesn't.

 _Can't wait to leave more bruises on you. Your skin's still as soft and warm as I remember. Can't wait to touch you all over…Kiss and suck my mark all over you._

Edd shifts uncomfortably in his chair. Now he's _sure_ he shouldn't be reading this here. Ms. Howard addresses the class about a new assignment. _Thank goodness…_ Something to distract his frazzled mind. He tries to focus on her words, but his thoughts drift back to the letter quickly enough. As he tries to write notes, his eyes catch a line or two. His curiosity won't let this go.

 _And you'll want it, won't you, sweetheart? Don't lie to yourself, little angel. You know you want me. You know you want to come home to me._

Edd pouts a little. He's not sure anymore if that's wrong or not.

 _I'll make you love me…_

He pales, his gaze locked on those words.

 _I'll make you love me…if you don't already, that is. No one ever forgets their first, after all. And so far, I'm your one and only. That's how it should be, though. No one else should ever touch you but me._

 _Because you're mine. Mine to do with as I want._

 _And I_ _do_ _want, Girlfriend._

He shrinks in on himself a bit, hunching over his desk. Biting his lip, he finally permits himself to glance outside.

Nothing today. He sighs in relief, but doesn't return his attention to his desk, delaying the discomfort of looking back at the note. He doesn't last as long as he'd like…

 _I wanna taste those pretty, pink lips…bite and suck 'em till they're raw and blistered. Wanna fuck you till you can't move. Make you scream. Your voice sounded so fuckin beautiful when you were moaning my name. Gonna make that the only thing you can manage to say._

Now he really feels ill.

 _When you're not speechless, I'll make you beg for me. You'll look so fuckin sexy on your hands and knees. I'll put that pretty little mouth to work. Every night…fucking your cute little mouth. So warm. Won't be long before you fuckin_ _love_ _the taste of my cock. Won't be long before you fuckin_ _crave_ _it._

Edd's sure his face is bright red. _Must he be so profane?_ He whines internally. _It's bad enough that he would have written me this, but why must he scribe such vulgarities and such…thorough descriptions…?!_ He wonders just how far the man had gone in his ravings on the page. Licking his lips, he looks around tentatively. Surely someone has noticed his flustered behavior?

Not one set of eyes are even turned in his general direction. He's not sure whether to be thankful or concerned for their ignorance as he picks up where he left off. His blood runs cold.

 _You_ _will_ _love me, Princess. Worship me. Never leave me again. Mine forever._

 _Just like it should be, my favorite little fucktoy…_

He wants to cry again, recognizing the message the man is intending to convey. That of ownership, and a reminder of who he 'belongs to'.

There's not much left to the letter now. His breathing is a bit more shallow as he forces himself to just finish it. Just read what's left and see what it says. Then he can put it away and (hopefully) out of his mind.

 _Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I have a few new toys I never got to use on you before._

The child is shocked by this. What on _earth_ does he mean by that?

 _Toys you can play with when I can't be with you. When I have to leave and earn money for food and shit. Can't leave my lovely at home; bored and alone. You'll find plenty of comfort in the toys I have for you. They'll make you squirm…make you moan._

 _I can't wait to see you play with them. Watch you fuck yourself on them and see you coming undone thinking about me. To see you loving your new toys almost as much as you love me…_

 _But maybe I'm getting a little too ahead of myself…_

He sighs in relief. _Thank God…An end to the vulgarity…_ The last sentence is particularly mocking as he reads it.

 _Before any of that, you've gotta give me a yes. So make up your mind, little darlin. I'll be waiting._

The blaring sound of the bell ringing startles him. He's shocked that he'd been reading this…this _filth_ the whole time. Shaking hands gather his belongings. It occurs to him that he didn't get the assignment. Or rather, he hadn't been paying enough attention to it. Folding up the note, he places it in his messenger bag and approaches Ms. Howard.

"M-My sincerest apologies, ma'am," he stutters shyly, "B-But I'm afraid I'm not clear on tonight's assignment. I fear it's more difficult to comprehend certain things in the back of the room. Would you kindly explain once more what we're to do?"

She offers him a warm smile and obliges. It's nothing too extraneous. She claims she's easing them into the semester and they'll be getting into the more difficult content next week. Despite the lack of a challenge, Edd finds himself grateful for this.

He's not sure he can handle anything too difficult at the moment.

* * *

For the rest of the school day, he's a shambling mess. Gym, he believes was worst. They played the ever-dreaded dodgeball and 'Sergeant Psycho' (as Eddy had come to call him) had not taken any excuse from Edd that would let the boy sit out the game. He wishes he could claim 'unfortunate luck' for the noticeable black eye he now has, but he knows better. Knows that the ball had intentionally been thrown much too hard and directly at his face.

He'd gone to the nurse's office immediately. The teacher had been quite reluctant — claimed Edd should just 'walk it off' — but had relented after Edd's constant badgering. While he nursed his bruising eye with a pack of ice, he'd taken the time to converse with the nurse a bit. Of note, he'd asked the man if he'd left his uniform there.

However amidst the small array of nursing outfits on the wall, Edd's had not been there. To assuage the boy's confusion, the nurse assured him it would turn up — that Edd may just have it at home, lost among the laundry somehow. He then offered to let Edd assist him again should he find the garment, which the boy eagerly agreed to.

After leaving the man's office, he'd found Eddy waiting for him, looking worried. A discussion followed — consisting mostly of threats to 'sick ol Lothor on those jerks from gym class' — but was cut short by the bell.

The last of his classes were uneventful, he's glad to say, and before he knows it, he's walking home with Ed and Eddy. However, his anxiety is returning.

… _I'll come back for your answer tomorrow night…_

He wonders if the threat is real. Would Terry really come back tonight? He glances at Ed and Eddy. Should he tell them? A glance at Eddy, lost in a discussion with Ed makes him think he probably shouldn't. He probably wouldn't believe him anyway.

But that, he fears, is the least of his worries.

Terry said he'd come back for him tonight. _What will_ _ **he**_ _have to say about this…?_ He touches his cheek, just below his eye, testing how tender the bruise is. He winces a little.

" _You okay, Sockhead?_ "

He glances at Eddy, who's slid up to his side.

"What's the matter?" he asks, "You still thinkin' about what happened in gym?"

Edd looks away uneasily; "You could say that…"

"Ah, don't sweat it, Double D," Eddy assures him, grabbing Edd's shoulder and making his friend stoop over some, "Me and Ed already got a great plan to get back at those assholes."

"Oh, Eddy, please _don't_ ," Edd whines, removing Eddy's arm and straightening up again, "Don't instigate them."

"C'mon, Double D!" Eddy pouts, "How can you expect us to just let that shit slide?!"

"It's no big deal, Eddy…" Edd shrugs back, adjusting his bag over his shoulder.

"No big deal?" Eddy guffaws.

"They hurt you, Double D!" Ed whimpers.

"Yeah!" Eddy concurs, "No one messes with the Eds! Those jerks are gonna pay, don't you worry about that."

Edd sighs; "What… _exactly_ are you planning to do?"

Eddy grins deviously; "Let's just say we're gonna put Big Ed's gym bag to better use."

Rolling his eyes, Edd drops the matter, letting his friends giggle amongst themselves. He's quite sure he won't be able to dissuade them from this little plan of theirs. There's no point in trying to stop it.

Tires squealing alerts the three to the street they're walking alongside of. Kevin has just pulled up, generously applying his brakes to draw their attention. Edd sighs a bit, looking away from him. _What now?_

"Hey, Shovel Chin!" Eddy greets with a grin, "What's up?"

"Not much," the jock shrugs back, "Rolf, Jonny and I were thinkin' about hangin' out later. You dorks in?"

"Sure!" Eddy answers enthusiastically, "How 'bout we hang at Ed's? I _promise_ the smell aint as bad as you might think."

Kevin laughs almost mockingly in response; "Yeah. Sure. Why not? Just gotta stop off at home. See you dorks later!"

Eddy waves after him as Kevin speeds away again. Edd glares after him before turning to his companion with a pout.

"Why do _they_ have to join us?" he whines.

"Aw, c'mon, Double D?" Eddy pleads, "It could be fun. We'll do our homework and shit and just…hang out with some friends. It'll be fun."

"Eddy, please," Edd counters, "I don't _want_ them there."

"It won't be that bad," Eddy argues gently, "And it won't be for that _long…_ C'mon, Double D…It'll be fun."

Edd gives him a hard look, but sighs a bit.

"Fine," he groans.

Eddy frowns, shifting uncomfortably from one foot do the other.

"Hey, don't you have a therapy session today?" he asks.

"Not today," Edd retorts, continuing on the path, "Doctor Underwood had a pressing engagement, I suppose, and had to postpone until tomorrow."

"Oh…well…cool!" Eddy throws his arm around Edd's waist, pulling him against his side, "More time we can all hang out, right?"

Edd casts him a disgusted look before turning away again.

"If you say so…"

* * *

Hours have passed since they reconvened in Ed's basement. Edd tries to focus on his assignment. Some paper he honestly cares quite little about at this point. He's holding an icepack over his eye again, hoping to alleviate the ache that had arisen once more. Every now and then, Kevin tries to distract them with some nonsense. He'd grabbed a number of Ed's movies early on and is playing them in a marathon. Tuning him out with homework had proven to be effective enough, but he would still get very irritated when Kevin's obnoxious laughter would inevitably interrupt him.

However, as annoyed as he is — as much as he'd rather be at home — he also welcomes their company. It's much better than letting the agonizing thoughts fester in his solitude.

Jonny, it seems, is growing a bit restless. While somehow clutching Plank in his arms, he begins rifling through Kevin's backpack. Kevin spots him and nudges him with a grimace.

"Hey, watch it, man!" he snaps, shooing him away.

Jonny giggles; "No acorns here!"

Kevin groans, rolling his eyes as Jonny proceeds to do the same with the other's belongings, sifting through their contents in search of nuts to 'store for the winter'.

"Begone, Jonny the WoodBoy!" Rolf snaps as he holds his bag protectively.

Jonny seems unfazed as he moves on. Edd is lost writing out a particularly lengthy paragraph in his paper when Jonny finally reaches his messenger bag. After a few moments of searching, the quirky boy pops up, a folded paper in his hands.

"Ooh! What's this, Double D!" Jonny asks, unfolding it a bit to take a peek.

Edd glances at him for a moment before doing a double take and releasing a sharp gasp.

"G-Give that back!" he demands, dropping the ice pack and snatching the note from Jonny's hands.

The others are startled by Edd's sudden outburst.

"What's that?" Eddy asks, brow furrowed.

"Nothing!" Edd snaps, jerking his bag back towards him and stuffing the letter inside. After doing so with the rest of his books and papers, he glares at Jonny. "How _dare_ you go pillaging my belongings like that, you insolent little cretin?!"

"Woah, Double D, calm down!" Eddy states, shocked.

"Yeah, I mean, it's annoying and all, but he was doing that to everyone?" Kevin shrugs.

"What the hell is on that paper?" Eddy demands, standing.

Edd's gripped by panic and rises to his feet.

"I-I need to go…n-now!" he stutters, backing up to the window.

He'd have to pass the others to reach the door. As unorthodox as it would be to exit via the small basement window, Edd fears he has no choice. Throwing his bag onto his shoulder, he makes a break for it.

"Wait!" Eddy cries, running after him. He's too late to stop him from leaving and peers out at the other boy. "D-Do you need me to walk you home or something?"

Edd glares back at him; "I _know_ the way, Eddy. And besides, I'm sick of putting up with those imbeciles you call 'friends'. Leave me alone."

"Edd!" Eddy crawls out of the window, lowering his voice when he nears the boy, "Please…y-you said we could _talk?_ "

Edd glares back at him; "You're the one who wanted _them_ here. I refuse to discuss this in front of them!"

"Okay well…" Eddy furrows his brow, "Let's go somewhere else. Just you and me. Then we can talk about this alone?"

"I'm in no mood anymore, Eddy," Edd retorts, his anger waning slightly, "I would like to be alone. This can certainly wait until tomorrow. Besides, I'm quite sure you'd rather spend this time with _Kevin._ "

Without another word, he storms off. Eddy watches him leave, still shocked. Disappointed, he climbs back down from the window before turning to Jonny.

"Hey, Jonny…" he mumbles, "What was on that paper? Did you get to read it at all?"

"Nope," Jonny shrugs back, "But there was a _lot_ of writing on it. And I think it was s'posed to be for a girl or something."

"A girl?" Eddy scoffs, "Yeah right…Double D would never write anything for a _girl…_ would he?"

"Maybe he wants to make up with Nazz?" Ed suggests.

"I guess that _would_ make sense why he'd be so protective over it," Kevin sneers, "Doesn't wanna admit he was wrong to act like such a little bitch about what happened."

Eddy shoots Kevin a mean look; "Watch it, ' _Kev_ '."

He spits Kevin's name as though it's some foul word. Catching the look in his eye, Kevin shrinks back, rubbing the back of his neck. Eddy glances back at the window, hoping his friend will be okay.

* * *

Edd leans against the front door after closing it behind him, sighing in relief. He needs to tell Eddy about his brother, but _not_ in front of them. And he's quite sure it would be too suspicious to have run off with him to speak in private.

When he's recovered, he pushes himself off the door and trudges to the kitchen. As he walks, he becomes a bit more alert. Is Terry already here? Waiting for him?

Relief washes over him as he enters the empty room. No Terry…Perhaps he still has some time to breathe before he returns? The usual list of chores and a note are resting on the kitchen table.

 _Dear Eddward,_

 _Your father and I will be a bit late tonight. We will likely be home by 7:30 at the earliest._

 _Feel free to prepare yourself a meal, or wait until your father and I return home and I will cook._

 _Love Mom_

Edd glances to a clock on the wall. Five o'clock. With at least two hours, he should be able to complete his chores and his homework before they return. The homework, at least, shouldn't take long. He'd completed most of it at Ed's. And the paper he'd been writing would actually not be due until Friday. He intends to have a serious talk with them if he can. He needs them to listen and he hopes to make them.

With a sigh, he heads for his bedroom first to set his belongings down. As he ascends the stairs, he raises a hand over his eye. He wonders if there's anything that can be done about that. His mother has some makeup in her bathroom. Would that be enough to cover this?

He reaches his room, but stops in the doorway. His hand is still poised over his eye as he freezes in shock.

It hadn't occurred to him that the man would go this far into his home. That he would be waiting for him here. Standing by his bed as he looks over the jawbreaker Eddy had bought for him. He also notes the man placing something into his pocket, but can't discern what. His fingers curl over the edge of his hat, the other coming to join it in gripping the soft material and pull it down a bit.

"Hello, Princess," Terry greets cooly, his tone jovial and his eyes remaining off of him, "How was school?"

The boy shivers in fear, unsure if he should believe what he's seeing.

"H-How long have you b-been here?" he stutters, hoping his bruise is properly concealed.

"Long enough," the man finally glances at him, his brow cocked, "Didn't expect you to keep me waiting _that_ long, but better late than never…"

"Why here…?" the boy murmurs, "Why in my bedroom?"

Terry shoots him a devious grin, "Seemed like the best place to give you your reward when you give me that yes."

"What…What if Ed and Eddy were with me?" Edd asks shyly.

"I don't see how that's a problem," Terry scoffs, looking back at the candy again, "I don't imagine the three of you come to hang out in this room often."

"What if…What if I hadn't come home before Mother and Father…?" Edd presses.

Terry glances at him for a moment, surprised by how bold Edd is being. After a moment, he averts his gaze again with a smile.

"Guess I woulda had to wait till tomorrow…" he suggests, "Which means you'd have bought yourself a little more time to think about your little decision." He gives Edd a warning glimpse. "And that I'd have to punish you for acting so coy."

The child shifts uncomfortably. He can't bring himself to run. It will only result in the man chasing him down and possibly inflicting some horrid pain on him as punishment. The less he can anger Terry, the better. Besides, perhaps talking to him will provide him enough time for his parents to return. Speaking of which…

"My parents…will be home any minute…" Edd mumbles in warning.

"Oh, will they?" Terry chuckles, "You sure about that? According to that note downstairs, we got plenty of time together before then."

Edd pouts. _So much for that threat…?_

"Besides…" Terry fiddles with the jawbreaker, throwing it up and catching it absentmindedly, "Would they _really_ give a shit?" He glances at Edd again. "How did they react, by the way? When you told them about me? Did they promise to protect you? Did they swear they'd do _anything_ to stop me?" He grins smugly. "Did they even _believe_ you?"

Hunching his shoulders, Edd doesn't answer. Why should he? It's quite obvious Terry knows the answer to his own question.

"Mm…I thought so…" Terry chuckles, "Well enough of the small talk. Have you made a decision, Princess?"

Swallowing down his fear, Edd tries to steel his nerve.

"There's no d-decision to make!" he stutters bowing his head a bit, "I'm not…I'm _not_ going with you! So leave me alone!"

Terry observes him suspiciously. It's not odd to see Edd cowering like that, but something about the _way_ he's doing it…Something that seems to be a bit off…

Setting the candy down on the bed, he approaches the shivering boy.

"Oh I will," he replies softly, "but surely you remember that I'll be back tomorrow as well…?"

Edd winced, whimpering a bit; " _Please!_ Just… _stop_ this! I don't want this!"

Why can't they be home?! Why can't his parents just walk through the front door and hear this? Why can't they just be here to put an end to this and prove he's not crazy?

Peeking up, he sees Terry getting a bit too close and backs up, hitting the wall opposite his door in the hallway. The man places his hand beside Edd's head, leaning against the wall. Edd shrinks in on himself, holding his hand and his hat over his bruised eye in a desperate attempt to keep it hidden. Terry's eyes narrow as he glare down at the boy.

"Why are you hiding your face like _that?_ " he hisses in a demanding tone.

Edd looks away, tightening his hold on the hat. With a grimace, Terry grabs his hand and jerks it away, pulling the hat away as well. Shocked, Edd looks up at him. There's an unreadable expression on Terry's face. The closest Edd can describe is some semblance of shock, though it's far too subtle to tell. He has a feeling there's some anger there as well. Shutting his eyes tight, he braces himself for the fury that will surely be unleashed.

His eyes snap open again when Terry's fingers take a firm grip on the back of his head, tangling in Edd's hair that had been exposed when his hat was pulled away. Yes. There's definitely rage in Terry's eyes as he glares at the boy.

"What the _fuck_ did that?" he growls.

Edd whimpers; "N-Nothing…I-It was an…a-an accident…at school…" Terry doesn't seem willing to accept that answer. "I-In gym…A d-d-dodgeball game…"

The man's free hand grabs his shoulder. He's not being as rough as he _could_ be, Edd's thankful to say, but it's certainly enough to keep his attention.

"Who did it?" Terry growls, "Who the _fuck_ put this on _my_ Princess?"

A little sob escapes the boy.

"I…I didn't see who…" he whimpers, "P-Please…stop…"

Terry grits his teeth, but forces back his rage. As angry as he is, he needs to relax. Get back to the task at hand. Deep breaths to calm himself. He cups Edd's cheek, tracing the bruise. The boy winces, reflexively reaching up to grab Terry's wrist in a feeble hope to pull the man's hand away. Terry grimaces.

"I should just fuckin' _take_ you right now," he snarls, "Make sure no one ever touches you again. Make sure the only bruises you get are the ones _I_ put on you."

Edd's shaking worsens at that. He shuts his eyes again, willing himself to speak.

"Th-Then why _don't_ you?" he demands in his wavering tone, "If you're so capable and…a-and _w-want_ me so badly…Wh-Why are you _torturing_ me instead?! Why take these risks just to torment me?!"

That's enough to put the grin back on Terry's face. He strokes Edd's cheek with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, my little darling…" he purrs, drawing Edd to open his eyes, "I know I don't _need_ to."

"Wh-What?" Edd stutters in his shock.

"I don't _need_ to drag you home, kicking and screaming," Terry explains, "I know you _want_ to come home to me."

Edd tries to protest; "Th-That's not—"

"Do you _really_ think you're happy to be here?" the man interjects, leaning in close to Edd's face, "No one listens to what you say. Those parents of yours don't give half a shit about you — hell, they barely pay any _attention_ to you. And those friends of yours treat you like shit."

"Th-That's not _true!_ " Edd argues feebly, "Ed and Eddy care about me. They spent all afternoon with me and even gave me that jawbreaker. They care about me more than anyone else!"

"Bullshit," Terry scoffs, "If that's true, then they wouldn't be so quick to spend all their time with those other shitty little ankle biters you hate so much. Did you even tell little Eddy about me being here?" He grins again, tracing Edd's lower lip. "How about that note? You _did_ get it, didn't you? Did you tell Pipsqueak about _that?_ "

Edd can feel his cheeks burning, sure his face is a bright red. He bows his head, refusing to answer.

"Didn't think so," Terry muses, "It's cuz you know you can't trust him, aint it? You know it won't do shit." He leans closer, kissing Edd's cheek and moving closer to his ear. "And you know you don't want to…"

The hand he'd placed on the boy's shoulder moves lower to grope and rub the soft, plush hip. The child squirms uncomfortably.

"When are you gonna admit it, sweetheart?" Edd shivers as Terry's voice rumbles low and deep in his ear, emphasized by the nip to the lobe. "When are you gonna admit that you want me?"

Edd's tiny, weak hands push pathetically against Terry's shoulders, trying to move him away.

"You're really gonna keep denying it?" the man laughs, "C'mon, you really think I believe that? I bet you dream about me…Bet you wake up moaning for me at night…"

The color that had been painting Edd's face drains away considerably.

"I-I dont know…Wh-What are…" he stumbles over his words, so terribly flustered.

Terry chuckles, pleased by this response. He begins leaving open-mouthed kisses along the boy's jaw.

"Admit it," he breathes, "You got it _bad_ for me, Princess."

"S-Stop it!" Edd gasps, writhing against his touch as he tries to escape him.

A part of him is trying to keep him in place. It feels so good! He leans unconsciously into the warm kisses and gentle caresses. The logical side of him tries so hard to fight it. To get away.

That side's quickly losing.

Before he can blink, Terry grabs his shoulder again, holding him down.

"Regardless of whether or not you're gonna admit it yet, Princess," the man growls, "you're runnin' out of time. You've got two chances left to give me the right answer. You waste those opportunities and you'll be left here all alone and hurting every fuckin' day. Is that what you want, Princess? Do you like being _this_ alone?"

Edd doesn't respond, too lost in his own grief to argue him. Terry finally releases him, standing straight. Clutching his hat to his chest, Edd leans against the wall, unable to do much else as he begins to sob to himself.

"Strike one, Princess," he warns, "I suggest you give me my yes _soon._ "

With that, he turns and heads for the stairs. Edd, however, remains, fear and sorrow rooting him in place and sending him sliding to the floor against the wall. He waits until he knows he's alone. Waits for the sound of the door downstairs opening and closing to signal Terry leaving the house.

For a long time, he doesn't move from where he's sitting, trying to recover. When he finally does rise to his feet again, he returns to his room. The first thing he does is hide the note in his bedside drawer. As badly as he wants his parents to believe him, he's _not_ about to let them read this. On the off chance that they _still_ don't believe him, he can't bear to let them read that filth and think for even a _second_ that he may have written it instead.

When the two finally _do_ return, he heads downstairs to meet them. Their reaction to his black eye is expected, though also a bit surprising.

"What on _earth_ happened?!" his mother gaped, dropping her bag to cup his face.

Her features are filled with horror.

"Who did this?!" she demanded tearfully, "Who hurt you?"

Edd thought about this for a moment.

"I-It was…" he pauses, realizing the opportunity granted to him, "I…It was T-Terry…"

The woman looks startled by that, taking her hands away.

"What?" she asks, brow furrowed.

Edd hunches his shoulders a little.

"Y-Yes…" he stutters, "He…H-He came here again and snuck into my room. A-And when I refused to…t-to go with him. He…hit me…"

His parents glance to each other before giving him a doubtful look.

"Eddward…" his mother states in a suspicious tone.

"It's true!" Edd pleads, "I-I mean it! He…He hit me and then th-threatened to take me away!"

"Is that so?" Valerie sighs.

"Eddward," Samuel begins in a warning tone, "You _do_ realize the consequences of lying to us, don't you?"

"I-I'm _not…_ " Edd attempts.

At the very least, it's not a _complete_ lie…

"If that is true, Eddward, then why are you still here?" she asks.

Edd fidgets a bit. He really doesn't have a good answer for that.

"After the condition I saw you in after you came home from your…ordeal," Samuel adds, "I believe there is no possible way that this…individual would assault you and then just _leave_. Or at the very least, I don't imagine the bruise would be that…'high up'…"

The child bows his head, frowning.

"So, Eddward, what _really_ did this?" Valerie asks.

Edd sighs; "It was a dodgeball game…In gym class."

"Dodgeball?" Samuel echoes, "I thought you were permitted — advised, rather — to avoid that game?"

The boy shrugs; "We have a new teacher. He wouldn't permit me to sit it out."

"I see…" his mother grimaces, "Well, I will have to put in a call to your principal tomorrow morning. Until then, have you completed your homework?"

"Yes," Edd nods.

"And your chores?" Samuel adds.

Edd nods again.

"Good," Valerie smiles, picking her bag up again, "I will begin preparing dinner very soon. Go wash up."

As they walk away to the kitchen, Edd watches them in defeat.

 _Perhaps…_ He winces a little as the thought barely begins.

 _Perhaps Terry is right…_

* * *

 _Battygirl: Thank you all for reading. We'll see you in the next chapter. Please don't forget to leave a review.  
_


	9. Keep Bro At Bay

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Once again we bring you, our faithful readers, another chapter! We're trying to keep up on everything, but it's hard when you're in and out of the hospital._

 _Battygirl: I'm sorry that this chapter ended up being so short. As I was writing it, actually, it was ending up way longer than I wanted it to be. However, I also know where I had originally wanted the chapter to end and I'm really not willing to budge on that. To keep myself from posting a nearly 10,000 word chapter, I figured it'd be better to split it up so that you, the reader, aren't overwhelmed. So, please enjoy this chapter. I can safely assure you that chapter 10 will be significantly longer. And don't forget to leave a review._

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Keep Bro at Bay**

* * *

" _So, like, I was thinkin' we can head straight to Kev's after school._ "

" _Yeah, I just got a new game I'm_ _ **stoked**_ _to try out._ "

" _Super sweet!_ "

Edd taps his fingers on the desk, trying to hold back the rage welling within him. Why is he surprised? Why would he expect any less from his so-called 'friends'? He glares at the clock, willing it to tick away faster so they can finally begin. Of course, that would also require their teacher to actually show up.

 _Where_ _ **is**_ _he?_

He feels Eddy jostling his seat behind him.

"Hey, you're coming too, right, Sockhead?" the shorter boy asks.

"No," Edd snaps back sternly.

"No?" Eddy pouts, "Whatdya _mean_ 'no'?"

"I mean _no_ ," Edd sneers, glancing back at him with a glare, "I'm not coming with you."

"Why not?" Eddy asks.

"Because I'm through with _wasting_ my time with these _idiots_ you call friends," Edd snaps back, "If it were just you, Ed, and I, I would happily join in whatever festivities you had in mind, but since you _insist_ on including _them_ , I want nothing to do with it."

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Kevin and Nazz share a surprised look.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Eddy demands, standing up.

"My _problem_ is that you insist on doing this _over_ and _over_!" Edd counters, clenching his fists, "Every time I feel like you _finally_ understand what about this is so upsetting to me, you act like all of our past conversations never happened! Why has this become the routine with you?"

"Maybe because you won't _tell_ me anything!" Eddy argues, "I can't get a straight answer out of you to save my life!"

Edd can feel other eyes upon them, their tones getting louder and louder. He tries to keep his voice down, to perhaps try to keep this more between himself and Eddy.

"Have my pleas to spend time as three gone unheard?" he sighs, "I must ask. What's so wrong with spending time with _just_ Ed and I?"

"Well, what's wrong with hanging out with more friends too?" Eddy asks, "I guess unlike you, I actually _like_ being sociable."

"Sociable?" Edd scoffs, turning to him fully.

That did it. That's the final nudge Edd needed. That final push to stop caring in the least about who can hear them arguing.

" _That's_ your excuse?" he goes on, "You want me to be _sociable?_ Why on earth should I be 'sociable' with people I do _not_ want to be around?"

"I don't get it!" Eddy groans, "Why are you trying to push away everybody tryin' to fuckin' _help_ you?"

"Help me?!" Edd echoes, "Since when has that _ever_ been on their agenda?"

"Gee, I dunno. Maybe when they actually came with me and Ed to _find_ you after…" he stops himself before he can say something he probably shouldn't, looking remorseful.

A fury wells up inside Edd. Things are getting blurry again.

"After _what?_ " he demands, his voice sounding more harsh than before.

Eddy bows his head; "After…y-you know…"

He keeps looking around at their classmates. This isn't a conversation he wants to have in front of them. Edd, however, feels something snap within him and forgets their presence.

"Oh, you mean after your brother kidnapped and repeatedly _raped_ me?" he bites back.

He knows all eyes are upon him with that remark. That he's shocked everyone in the room with that outburst, but he hardly cares anymore.

"Yes, what a great help they were to prevent _that!_ " he snaps, "But I suppose as long as it provided them fodder for their little _gossip_ corner, it doesn't matter?"

Nazz rubs the back of her neck at that, bowing her head shamefully. Eddy sighs shaking his head.

"I shoulda figured that's what this was about…" he mumbles.

"Oh? And just _what_ is this about?" Edd sneers, "Just what do you _think_ this is about?"

"I _think_ this is about what my bro did…" Eddy answers, glancing at him, "You don't act like this, Double D. I know Nazz telling people about that upset you, but you wouldn't be acting like this if it wasn't for what he did…"

"Of _course_ I wouldn't be behaving like this if not for that!" Edd snaps, "You wouldn't be _forcing_ me to 'socialize' with these fake friends of yours if your brother hadn't _violated_ me like that!"

"Oh come _off_ it, Double D!" Eddy groans.

"I can't believe that you really think I'm angry because of _him!_ " Edd guffaws, _"_ I can't believe you're going to stand there and _actually_ accuse me of being upset _purely_ because of some _trauma!_ Not because I was genuinely wronged and _none_ of you seem interested in acknowledging that! But because your brother used me to fulfill his depraved, sexual desires. How many times must I say this? I have _every right_ to be upset about everything that's happened in the past week! And none of that _has_ to relate to your _brother_ and what he did to me!"

"Double D…" Ed whimpers in his seat beside him, "Ed is here…"

"But Eddy isn't," Edd counters, glaring at his shorter friend, "Isn't that right, Eddy? You're not interested in spending time with me anymore because of your new relationship with _them._ "

He motions toward Kevin and Nazz to emphasize his point. Kevin looks irritated by the disgust in Edd's tone, but Nazz bows her head contritely.

"'You gotta know you can talk to me'," Edd mocks, mimicking Eddy's voice, "That's _highly_ doubtful. I hazard a guess that you wouldn't _care_ about what I have to say, let alone _bother_ to listen! I dare say you wouldn't _believe_ me if I told you what's wrong!"

"Edd…" Eddy tries to calm him down, eyes flickering behind his friend and then back to the other boy's face.

" _Eddward?_ "

He whips around to find their teacher standing at the front of the class. The man looks him over carefully. Everything about the boy's visage seems off. Nothing like the Edd he's accustomed to. The angry look the child has on his face doesn't ebb in the slightest, alarming him further.

"Eddward, I think you should go to the principal's office," he demands gently, "Now."

Edd glares at him, but deflates some. The blurriness has finally ebbed. He can think clearly again, but he still knows he's angry. He still feels the anger that had blinded him. He could probably stay — try to convince the man that he doesn't need to go — but a part of him truly needs to get away from Eddy. He can't be near him after all that. Therefore, without any argument, he gathers his belongings and leaves, ignoring the whispers that follow him.

After a few minutes in the principal's office, being lectured to and asked what's wrong, he's directed instead to the guidance counselor. That proves even less fruitful. He's told everything he's already heard before. Told he's in a safe place. That he can talk to her about what's upsetting him. He tries to explain. Tries to tell her what's got him so upset.

Of course she doesn't believe him. Of course she doesn't _want_ to. Everything he's saying is preposterous. There's just no way. He stops trying.

The bell rings for his next class, and they finally excuse him. He couldn't be more upset with the diagnosis. Just like his friends. Just like the others, the woman firmly believes that Edd's outburst is related to his 'trauma' and nothing more than a load of paranoia rather than something concrete, like Terry returning to collect him.

And just when he thinks it can't get worse, as he leaves the office, she informs him that she's also going to call his therapist.

* * *

He barely remembers the rest of his day as he slogs through each of his classes. Nothing of particular interest occurs since his visit to the counselor, he's glad to say. No new or interesting assignments in his advanced class — just a reminder to complete the one given to them yesterday. Nothing of note.

Perhaps, of course, with the exception of Ed and Eddy avoiding him. They met up in gym class, where Eddy had tried to talk to him. Demanded an explanation for Edd's behavior. But Edd had given him none, insisting that if he cares so much, he can wait until later and at least _attempt_ to make time for him. After that, Eddy had lapsed into silence and hasn't spoken a word to him since.

He was glad for it, to be sure. After what happened this morning, he honestly doesn't want to interact with him much right now. Ed is also wary of him after that, claiming Edd's dark side had been getting 'stronger'. However, even that isn't terrible, he finds. He doesn't feel comfortable even talking to Ed. Therefore as sad as it is realistically, Edd finds that it offers him some sort of relief.

His meeting with Doctor Underwood, however, does not have that same comforting effect.

"Eddward," the man begins carefully, "I'm becoming very concerned. Your behavior as of late is quite alarming."

He sees that Edd isn't listening. Instead, the boy is pacing back and forth, muttering to himself and looking more and more agitated with each passing moment. In an effort to regain control over the situation, he gets a bit more aggressive.

"Eddward, please sit down so we may discuss what happened at school today," he states firmly.

"I don't have _time_ for that!" Edd snaps back, stopping to turn to him, "For all I know, Terry's at home waiting for me and I can't rely on you, my parents, or my best friends to actually _help me_ so I have to figure out a solution for myself!"

"Eddward…" the man sighs.

"What?" Edd scoffs, "You _still_ don't believe me? You _still_ think I'm seeing things?"

The man doesn't answer immediately, giving the boy a careful look. Edd starts tugging at his hat.

"This is unbelievable!" he cries as he returns to pacing about the room, "You heckle and hound me to talk about what's going on and _demand_ I reveal things when they happen, but you _ignore_ the most important thing I tell you and treat it like it's not _real!_ "

"Eddward, no one else sees what you do," the therapist retorts, trying to keep his cool and stick to logic.

"That's because no one else is paying _attention!_ " Edd growls.

"I'm going to have to ask you to calm _down,_ " Underwood demands, giving him a stern look.

"And I'm going to have to ask _you_ to stop treating me like a child!" Edd argues, "I'm sick of being told to calm down and pretend this isn't happening! Terry has returned for me and he's going to take me away again! Why does _no one_ care about that?!"

"Eddward," the man sighs, "I can see that you're very agitated, but this is all stemming from a very fragile mindset regarding the sexual trauma you've endured. You're reliving that trauma through flashbacks and are perceiving a threat that is not there."

"No I'm _not!_ " Edd insists, "What I'm seeing is _real!_ "

The man shakes his head, rubbing his forehead. Desperation seizes the boy in that moment, his vision blurring again, tunneling as he's overcome with that familiar rage.

"I am _not crazy!_ " he roars, slamming his fist down on the mans desk, "I am _not_ seeing things! Terry is going to take me away and violate me just like he did before and if you and my parents don't _do_ something about it, he'll get away with it and you all might _never_ see me again! Is that what you _want?!_ Do you just take _pleasure_ at the thought of him performing the most lewd and depraved sexual acts on me? Is that why you—"

"That's _enough,_ Eddward!" Underwood snaps, jolting to his feet, "I insist you calm down and take your seat."

"No!" Edd shouts back. He turns away and snatches up his belongings, "I'm through! Consider this our last meeting, 'doctor', because I _never_ want to see you again! Your consistently unprofessional behavior during these meetings and after has finally gone too far! I _refuse_ to force myself to endure another single, solitary _moment!_ "

"Eddward, sit _down!_ " the man orders, grabbing his arm, "You need to calm down an—"

"No!" Ed wrenches his arm away, "I _told_ you, I've had enough!"

Before the man can stop him, Edd slips past him and out of the office, still fuming. He races out of the building, ignoring the receptionist demanding an explanation and moving to stop him. Once outside, he heads straight for the cul-de-sac.

 _How dare he?! How_ _ **dare**_ _he?!_ Demanded to share all of his pain and fears, only to have them undermined and be treated like some senseless child who cannot tell when he is being wronged or hurt. Given no outlet for his frustration other than the dreams that haunt his waking hours and the arms of the man responsible for it all. He can't take much more of this. It's all too much.

His anger wanes very slowly the closer he gets to home until finally dissipating completely when he reaches the cul-de-sac. Some of the children are playing outside, he notes, but he avoids them as he makes a bee-line for his house. As he unlocks the door, he considers that he _should_ probably go find Ed and Eddy.

He stops at his door, his hand poised over the handle. In his haste to escape the neglectful and frustrating people he must continue to be surrounded by, he'd momentarily forgotten the threat that quite possibly awaits him inside. Perhaps he shouldn't be so careless? Perhaps he _should_ go find his friends?

But…

… _I'd have to punish you for acting so coy…_

Terry had made it clear that there may be consequences to making him wait longer than he is. Edd's certainly not about to give the man a positive answer — at least…he _thinks_ he's certain — but the man seemed to have implied that even making him wait an extra day for the _negative_ answer would be one too many.

So it begs the question; prolong the inevitable by running from his home until he knows his mother and father have returned — thereby ensuring him one day safe from his tormentor — or face the beast head on by entering the lion's den that is his own home?

He's not sure how long he's been standing here, rooted to his doorstep and unable to open the door. Gripped by fear that chills his heart and paranoia that leaves him uncertain. Fear that is making things foggy in his mind again. Making it all go dark…

" _Hey Double D!_ " he jumps a bit when he hears Sarah cry out to him near her house farther down the dead-end street. There, she's skipping rope with Jimmy. "You wanna play!"

He glances wide-eyed in her direction unsure how to answer. Ed or Eddy may have heard her. He can't face them yet. Not now. He has to get inside!

"N-No thank you, Sarah!" he calls back shakily, "I'm…I-I'm afraid I'm not interested right now! Perhaps another t-time!"

With shivering hands, he finally opens the door and enters the house. It's still much too early for his parents to be home, and he's in no mood to check the note he'll find in the kitchen. Instead, he heads straight for his bedroom. He'll give Terry his no when he arrives and the man can be on his way! He can have at least a few hours to be alone with his thoughts.

Peeking inside the bedroom. No sign of the man. He sighs in relief. However, as he sets his bag down beside the door, he notices a box sitting on the neatly made bed. Brow furrowed, he approaches it and looks it over. It's not really wrapped. Just a relatively flat, eight by eleven inch box that is two or three inches wide. No decoration except for a paper, folded and taped to the front.

 _For my Princess_

His eyes are wide as he sets the note aside to open the box. _Oh dear…So much for no sign…What could Terry have done_ _ **now?!**_ When he sees its contents, his heart sinks. Setting the box down, he picks up a red dress. He feels sick. Of course he recognizes it. It's the same one the man had bought for him to wear back at the trailer. The same dress he'd worn on his last day with him. The one he'd been wearing right before Terry had raped him for what would be the last time during his abduction. He shudders, letting the garment slip through his fingers and fall to the ground.

To his dismay, though, he spots another article of clothing in the box. This one, unfortunately, is much more disturbing to find. Unsteady hands pick up the nurse uniform folded up and tucked neatly in the box where it had been stored beneath the dress. The nausea worsens as he looks it over. It looked much the same as before, but he can see where it had been altered.

He feels violated as it too falls. How long has he been so unsafe, even in his own home? How _long_ has Terry been watching him, waiting for him to be at his most vulnerable? How long has he been waiting for the perfect chance to step in and put him _into_ that state of extreme vulnerability?

His eyes flicker to the lid of the package where the note still resides. His breathing is labored as he picks up the letter to read it.

 _You're keeping me waiting, Princess. And you should know by now that I_ _'_ _m not very patient._

As he reads that, the boy wonders how true that really is. Terry had proven himself quite patient with all of this. However, perhaps what he really means…is that his patience is wearing very _very_ thin.

 _But I understand…It's a tough choice you have to make, isn't it?_

Yes, truly, it really _is…_ So much so that he doesn't think one can even be _made_ at this point. But, really, would it be so bad…? At this point, he's really not sure. Granted, going with Terry realistically only means more pain down the road. Beatings, painful and unforgiving sexual intercourse, verbal abuse that left him with no self-worth.

But is it any worse than here? There's no physical pain in staying, but there's no physical comfort either. With Terry, there will be pain, but…according to this letter, he's suggesting that there will be _some_ comfort that the man intends to provide as well.

… _give you all the affection your little heart wants_ _…_

Yes, the pain would be terrible, but the comfort would at least be there.

And the emotional anguish seems less painful coming from the man as well. Of course, hearing it at all hurts greatly, but at least he _expects_ to hear it from _Terry._ At least he _expects_ to be berated and talked down to by _him._ But to have everything he says belittled by his friends and family feels so much… _worse._

He's lost in the words on the page and the conflict in his heart; making the thoughts in his mind more and more clouded and difficult to differentiate from his own.

A pair of hands grab his shoulders, startling him. _When had he…?_ He struggles in the firm grasp, trying to pull away, but ultimately gives in when those large fingers start massaging his shoulders. Terry leans down, kissing his cheek before nipping at the shell of the boy's ear.

"How long…" Edd whimpers, "H-How long have you…h-have you been…?"

"Couple hours," comes the breathy response, "but I have a feelin' it'll be worth the wait." He feels Terry's lips upon his cheek again. "Why don't you try one on for me, Princess?"

Edd squirms uncomfortably, trying to slip away from him.

"N…No…please…" he weeps, "P-Please…leave me alone."

He'd ask how the man had even gotten _in_ without being noticed by the children outside, but he's learned, by now, that it's something to just expect at this point.

Instead of pulling away, of course, Terry moves farther down to the boy's neck, leaving tender kisses over his flesh. His hands begin to roam, moving from the small, shaking shoulders down to the slender hips.

"C'mon, sweetheart…" Terry coos, nuzzling his nose against Edd's neck, "You looked so pretty in your little dress…Try it on again…for _me_ …"

"No…" Edd stutters, "I…I don't want this…please…"

Terry grimaces, ceasing his ministrations. Grabbing Edd's shoulders, he shoves him onto the bed. The boy twists around, trying to right himself, before Terry mounts the bed after him, a lustful grin on his face.

"Y'know, Princess," he purrs, grabbing the boy's hips, "I've been really _fuckin'_ patient with you lately." A nip to the area where Edd's shoulder meets his neck. "And I think I deserve a little reward."

Edd's eyes open wide as Terry forces his legs open. The man pulls him into his lap, making the preteen straddle him. Panic wills the boy's movements as Terry grinds his hips, which gets him struggling.

"N-No!" he cries, "Please! Not that!"

"I've done my waiting, Girlfriend," the man growls, leaning forward, "You've _kept_ me waiting long enough. Now I'm gonna _enjoy_ my pretty little consolation prize." Closer and closer, until their lips are mere inches from each other. "So why don't you just lie back and enjoy it?"

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Thank you so much for reading and please leave us a review! We live on your feedback! We will see you all in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	10. In the Heat of the Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Welcome back everyone to a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it!  
_

 _Battygirl: Hey guys, um…I'm not really sure about this one. I'm…honestly starting to question a lot of the stuff going on in this fic and whether or not I should keep going, but…this is how we planned it out and, honestly, with everything else I'm trying to keep up with, I really don't have time to go in and change things too much. This could all just be stemming from how much time I've been putting toward this lately and not really stepping away from it, but, if it feels stale, that's on me and I do hope I can fix it in the future. That's also partly because I'm receiving little to no feedback. So if you like this, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. If you don't like this, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. Tell us what you think. Please._

* * *

 **Chapter 10: In the Heat of the Edd**

* * *

Edd struggles against the man, trying to push him off.

"No!" he sobs, "Please, don't!"

"Shh…"

Terry's hands slip under the boy's shirt, lifting it up to expose the soft skin beneath. Lips trailing from Edd's jaw to his ear.

"My lovely little darling…" he purrs, "You seem to forget who you belong to…I'll make sure you remember, though…"

Kissing back to the boy's mouth to silence the little whimpers and pleas. Tongue slipping past those soft lips that attempt to remain tightly closed and mingling with Edd's own. The preteen's hands push feebly against the broad shoulders. He can feel himself slipping away again. Feel a certain loss of conscience as something else takes over, rendering his body lax and vulnerable to the tender caresses.

"T…Terry…" he moans softly, "P…P-Please…Not this…"

His pleas go unheard and his clothes are rid of him before he realizes. Shirt lifted up and over his head, dragging his hat off along with it. Terry combs his fingers through the soft locks that are revealed to him, soothing the quivering boy. The large hands travel from Edd's hair, down his sides and to his hips, reveling in each delicious inch of skin they meet. The boy arches his back in want. He almost doesn't notice those same hands tugging at his shorts, peeling them down his legs. Now, as he lies naked upon his own bed, he shivers in anticipation.

His shaking form is covered by Terry's own as the man leans down to kiss him again. Fingers that simply can't get enough of that soft, supple flesh beneath them travel all over his body. When he spots the man retrieving the lubricant from his pocket, Edd casts him a worrisome glance.

"M-Mother and Father should…sh-should be arriving home any minute…" he whimpers feebly.

"Mm…no they won't," Terry chuckles as he unzips his pants, "I know the routine pretty damn well by now. Those two are gonna be out for a while. Hell, I bet Mommy said so in the note she left you today. What _did_ it say? Did you read it? Or were you so…distraught when you came home that you just came straight here?"

Edd looks away shyly. That only adds more mirth to the man above him as he exposes his erection.

"Oh well," he purrs, "Works for me. Just means I can enjoy you a lot longer."

He starts spreading the lubricant over his fingers, intent on preparing the boy. As badly as he wants to get to the 'good part', he knows he's gotta be patient. He's not fucked this kid for months. He's gotta take it slow so that he won't break his pretty little toy before he can bring him home. This _should_ probably offer incentive for him to hold himself back and not do this at all…

But, then again, restraint has never been his forte.

Edd hunches his shoulders; "T-Terry… _Please_ …"

With a low, rumbling purr, Terry leans down over him again.

"Shh…" he breathes, "Just relax, Princess…Be good for me and I'll be gentle…"

"I…I-I never said y-yes…" Edd attempts.

"I know that," Terry retorts, pressing a finger to the boy's tight hole, "But you've kept me waiting long enough. Consider this my little taste before I finally get to enjoy my main course."

"Th-There won't _b-be_ a 'main course'!" Edd cries, trying to squirm away, "I'm not going _with_ you! I-I refuse! N-Now leave me alone!"

Terry's free hand is upon his hip, gripping like a vice.

"Fightin' back's just gonna make it hurt worse," he growls, "You've still got one more day to give me the answer I _want_ , Princess, and I _know_ I'm gonna get it."

Edd whines in agony, unable to stop the violation of his body as the man's finger probes deeper. Terry's lips distract him, leaving gentle, tender kisses to Edd's own. It works to an extent, dulling the pain only slightly.

The preparation alone is pure torture in and of itself. One finger. Two. Three. Tears are rolling down the boy's cheeks and falling to his pillow as those fingers stretch him.

When they're finally removed, he sighs softly in relief. He knows that's not the end of it. But the momentary relief brings him even the smallest amount of peace. However, when he feels the man's cock about to enter him, he finds the energy to writhe again.

"No!" he cries, "Not that! Not _that!_ "

For a brief moment, he's able to scramble away. He turns to crawl from the bed, but is snatched back.

"So you want it _this way_ , huh?" Terry chortles, pulling the boy flush against him so that the boy's backside is against his waist, "Fine by me, beautiful."

"No!" Edd sobs, clawing at the sheets as he tries to pull away, "Please! Oh please _god!_ "

"Quit that strugglin', Princess," the man demands softly, "Just lie there and be good for me."

The boy struggles on, but in vain. When the thick member penetrates him, he shrieks in pain, only to have the man's hand clamp down over his mouth just as the first strangled noise escapes him. Terry stops before he can get too far. Gritting his teeth, he restrains himself ever so slightly to avoid hurting the boy too much. Can't leave too much of a trace.

With that in mind, he moves carefully, thrusting in and out at a slow, steady pace. Edd doesn't even attempt to hold himself up. He grips the sheets, fisting them in his hands as his tears stain the fabric. With each thrust, he still releases sharp, pained cries, but they're much more reserved than the agonized screams he'd been trying to let out at first.

Terry leans down over him, steadying himself with one hand while the other remains over the boy's mouth.

"Don't _tell_ me you don't like this, sweetheart…" he growls low, resting his forehead against Edd's temple, "Don't _tell_ me this ain't what you've been _craving._ "

Edd sobs into the man's hand in a feeble effort to argue against the accusations. Terry observes him carefully for a moment before giving a particularly sharp thrust. Weak little whimpers are all the child can muster. With a grin, the man removes his hand from Edd's mouth and rests it on the bed below them to support himself. The other moves to the boy's hip, savoring the soft skin as he drags it over Edd's side.

The boy wants to speak. Wants to beg him to stop and show him mercy. But whatever words he could have used have all left him, reducing him to a whimpering, sobbing mess. His eyes are shut tight against the agony, but Terry doesn't seem to mind. At the very least, he hasn't said anything against it. Hasn't demanded the boy open his eyes again. It's something small he can be thankful for.

The man's thrusting finds a smoother rhythm as they continue, his hips rocking at an even pace. The pain never leaves, though and Edd releases a soft grunt with every movement. He tries so hard to will his body to reject it — will himself to move. But he's crumbling fast. And as Terry begins kissing along his back and up his neck, he loses more of himself.

The hand upon his hip moves inward, caressing his half-flaccid cock. His struggling increases in an effort to pull that hand away, but it does no good as he's coaxed into arousal.

"Mm…You love this, don't you…?" he hears the man purr in his ear, "You love it when I touch you…I know you want more…Tell me, Princess…Tell me how bad you want this…"

Edd tries to deny him, but is cut off before he can speak by a warbled groan that rips itself from his chest. He tugs at the sheets, as though doing so could possibly pull him away from the man.

"P…Please…" he croaks, "N-No more…I…I can't t-take it…"

"Aww, don't say that, sweetheart," Terry purrs, nipping at the boy's ear as he rocks against the small body, "we both know you can…and _have_."

The boy cringes against the truth of that. When the boy's tears only persist, the man nuzzles his neck.

"C'mon now, my little Princess…" he breathes, "If you'd just relax, it'll feel so _damn_ good…"

A whimper is his only response, drawing the man to realize that speaking to the child is pointless here. He focuses instead on stroking and massaging the boy's chest and hips. The timid whimpering becomes soft, reluctant moaning. Edd feels his consciousness slipping away again with each thrust and tender kiss to his neck, his thoughts and vision blurring.

"T…Terry…" he moans, burying his face in the sheets, "P…Please…" He gasps and pants in a desperate attempt to catch his breath. "N-Not so rough…"

Terry grins, dragging his hand over the boy's hip and thigh before moving to stroke the boy's erection.

"So you like it now, huh…?" he notes smugly.

Edd doesn't answer. His toes are curling in his socks. He doubts he'll last much longer. So close. So _damn_ close. He can voice no more than the man's name amidst his moans. Terry's thrusts get harder and faster, indicating that he too is reaching his peak.

"Mm…cum for me, my little Princess," he groans.

In response, Edd releases a long, strangled moan. Behind his tightly shut eyelids, he's blinded by stars exploding among the black. He's breathless for several long moments as his body is ravaged by the pleasure. He only just feels the man tensing above him, a sure sign that he too has finally hit his own sexual high.

As he begins to calm again, he becomes more aware of the pain in his backside and the heavy weight atop him as Terry relaxes. He's able to keep most of his weight off the boy, not _so_ far gone that he can't hold himself up, but he can't stop himself from letting his body sink down some over the shivering child as he fights to catch his breath. The man strokes the soft skin of the boy's arm, humming contentedly.

Yes, just as good as he remembers. And, as annoying as all of this runaround is, this has proven to him that it's worth it to have constant access to this kid's body.

Edd, however, is less than pleased. As much as it had hurt, as horrible as he feels, it pains him to admit to himself how _good_ it had felt as well. How _good_ it felt to give in and allow himself to be subjected to the man's touch. It makes him sick to consider it as he lies there, clutching the sheets in his fingers as he reflects on what he's allowed to transpire.

That quiet reflection doesn't last long, however. After a moment, he's turned onto his back so that he's facing the man again. Terry grimaces, reaching up to gently trace the bruise that's still dark over Edd's eye.

"I still need to find the little shit that did that…" he sneers, "When are you gonna tell me his name, Princess?"

Edd shudders; "I…I-I told you…" He's still panting, unable to catch his breath. "I-I didn't see his face…"

"Don't _lie to me, Princess_ ," the man warns.

"I-I mean it…" Edd whimpers, "I…I-I didn't see which one…"

"'Which _one_ '?" the man echoes, making the boy wince, "You sayin' there are _more_ little fucks in that school of yours who think they can leave a bruise on you?"

Edd hunches his shoulders, looking away. Terry grimaces, grabbing Edd's chin and forcing the boy to look at him.

"I _want_ a name," he growls.

Edd winces, hesitating. He knows he has to give him an answer.

"I…I don't know them very well," he begins carefully, "B-But I…I know o-one of them is called 'C-Conner'. Th-That's all I know— _really!_ I-I don't associate with them if I can help it…"

"How many?" Terry demands, leaning into Edd's face.

"Th…Th-Three…" Edd mumbles back, "C-Conner and t-two others I don't know well…"

This seems to satisfy the man above him. He sits up, but Edd doesn't move, frozen in place. Terry glances at the bedside table, checking the time. With a grin, he turns back to his prey.

"Well, it's been fun, Princess," he chuckles, "But I guess I should be going." He cocks his brow. "Question is; are you gonna come _with_ me?"

The boy is shivering at that, his body quaking in fear. He bows his head.

"N…N-No…" he whimpers, "I-I already told you I won't…"

A glare is sent his way in response to that. Gritting his teeth, Terry leans over him again, resting his hand beside the boy's head.

"I'm gettin' _sick_ of hearin' that answer," he snarls, "Maybe I should just fuckin' _take_ you now…"

The child winces again at that, tears burning the corners of his eyes. Terry observes him carefully for a few moments, mulling things over.

"Fuck it…" he mumbles, "Now that I finally got a little taste, I guess I can wait another day…But you got one last chance, Princess. Get your shit all together and be ready to give me my yes."

As the man rises from the bed, the boy starts crying. He can't hold it back anymore. Everything below his waist aches so painfully. He feels absolutely filthy. A shower. _A shower!_ Terry adjusts his clothes before turning back to the boy. Giving him a hard look, he leans over him, grabbing his chin again.

"One day," he warns, "You got one more day to make up your little mind. Don't forget, Princess. I'm your last chance to get away from this pathetic, lonely excuse for a life." He pauses for a moment, as though thinking over his next words carefully, "You've already made me wait two days. And I'm gonna have to punish you for that."

Edd sobs softly, unable to contain it. Terry squeezes his chin to silence him again.

"But," he speaks through his teeth, "If you give me my _yes_ , then I'll be more gentle with you. So I suggest you start thinking carefully about your answer sweetheart. Cuz if you keep telling me _no_ …" He pauses again. "Well…I'm sure you don't want to think about that, now do you?"

Edd shakes his head, quivering.

"Didn't think so," the man leans in, placing a quick peck to the boy's lips before standing straight again, "Guess I'm off, sweetheart. See you tomorrow."

As Terry exits the room, the preteen does not move. Doesn't even turn his head to watch him leave. He vaguely hears the air conditioning kick on, but his senses seem dull; each one damned in some way by that man. Sight blurry, he can only just make out shapes around him, but he can still see those piercing blue orbs when he closes his eyes. He can still feel those large hands upon him, despite their absence. Can still hear the cruel whispers and the man's moans in his ears. Still smell the cheap cologne, mixed with cigarettes and alcohol that clung to the man. And taste the man's lips and tongue on his own.

The tears begin falling faster. Why…? Why him? Why is this happening to _him?_ What had he done to warrant all of this abuse? He wants to be sick, but then he doesn't. Rather, what he wants most is a _bath_.

Frail limbs lift him from the bed. He can feel the cold of the air conditioning now and he shivers. Hugging his arms, he rises from the bed on unsteady legs. Initially, he falls, collapsing painfully to the ground. He doesn't move right away after that, trying to gather his strength. After a few deep breaths, he finally drags himself to his feet.

Slipping off his shoes and socks, he stumbles to his closet to grab his bathrobe. Shower. A shower before anything else. Donning the robe, he makes his way slowly to the bathroom. He turns the water on to a warm, comforting temperature. As he lets the water wash over him, he begins crying again. Holding his head and sobbing pitifully.

He tries to stop thinking about it. Tries so _damn_ hard to abolish the horrible, fresh memories from plaguing his mind. Despite his best efforts, he cannot contain the sickness any longer. His throat burns as he finally empties the limited contents of his stomach onto the shower floor. He leans against the wall, still sobbing as the vomit is washed away, gurgling down the drain. Shame washes over him in that moment.

"Wh…Wh-What am I g-going to do…?" he whimpers, sniffling and hiccuping.

* * *

He sits on the couch, his head bowed. As he waits as patiently as he can, he wracks his brain to think of how to convince them to help him. How to make them understand and make them act. Over the last couple of hours of pondering, though, nothing has come to mind. He feels more and more hopeless as the minutes tick away.

Finally, he hears the door open. Perking up a bit, Edd jumps to his feet.

" _Eddward!_ " he hears his mother call, "We're home!"

The boy races for them.

"Mother!" he cries, "Father! Please! You must help me! I—"

He stops dead when he enters the foyer. His mother and father are near the door, but they also have a guest. As he gazes at Doctor Underwood, he shivers.

This can't be good.

However, licking his lips, he tries to focus on the task at hand.

"M-Mother…F-Father…" he stutters, "P-Please…I-I _need_ you to listen to me."

Valerie turns to him, brow furrowed; "Eddward, you are so shaken…" She places a hand to his forehead. "Are you ill?"

"N-No…" Edd whimpers, "E-Earlier…E-Earlier today…T…T-Terry came back and…a-and…"

"Oh Eddward…" the woman sighs, "Again with this…?"

" _Please!_ " Edd begs, "You _must_ listen to me! Terry was here and…a-and he…"

"He what, Eddward?" Underwood asks in a tone mocking concern, "Threatened you again before conveniently leaving you here? Surely you can understand our skepticism."

"He ra…r-raped me again," Edd blurts out, squeezing his eyes shut.

Valerie pales considerably. The very word is enough to make her ill. To hear it from her own child, however, is more than sickening.

"Eddward, do _not_ use that word," she orders through clenched teeth.

"P-Please…" Edd sobs, "You have to believe me…H-He was here…He…He really _was_."

Underwood heaves a sigh; "I see. And what evidence do you have to support this…?"

Edd glances at him, biting his lip. Terry had been careful, he discovered, to not leave any bruises during the act. Not even the hickeys the man so enjoyed sucking into his skin. He _does_ have the dress and tattered nurse uniform, but…

"I…I don't…" he mumbles, "I-I don't…really have…"

Underwood turns to the concerned adults.

"It would appear that the hallucinations may be getting worse," he informs them, "I theorize that they are now affecting him sexually."

"No!" Edd argues, "I _swear_! That's _not_ true!"

He shrinks in on himself, his voice sounding more timid than usual as his consciousness blurs. The hopelessness takes him again. He wants to cry.

"Eddward," he hears his father sigh. When he looks up again, the man is kneeling before him, a hand on his shoulder, "Please, I can see that you're very upset by this, but there's just no way this is possible."

"But it _is_ ," Edd whimpers back, his body shivering, "He's snuck into our home three times now. He doesn't want you to believe me, but it's _true._ "

"Eddward," the man frowns, "No it's not. If that were true, someone would have seen that. We have neighbors who would notice a stranger breaking into our home."

Edd stares at him, his shoulders quivering.

"Why don't you want to believe me?" he asks softly, "Why are you refusing even a remote possibility that I'm correct?"

Samuel rises to his feet, shaking his head.

"Because it's not logical," he answers finally.

"Samuel," Valerie says in a hesitating voice.

"There is no reason to believe that this man is foolish enough to return _just_ for you, Eddward," Samuel explains, looking everywhere but his child, "Doctor Underwood told us that people like him do not bother with such trivialities."

"That's true, Eddward," Underwood concurs, "Such a risk is not only foolish but has no logical bearing."

Edd's shoulders fall. _That's_ their reasoning? _That's_ why they won't believe him? He holds his head, barely able to comprehend it. The doctor turns to the confused parents.

"Sam, I'd like to recommend a higher dosage of his medication," he informs the man.

"What?" Samuel asks, startled, "Why?"

"I feel that his current dosage may simply be too low to offer the necessary effectiveness," the doctor replies, "And that a higher dosage may provide us with the results we want."

Samuel sighs; "Is that safe, Michael?"

"It should have no ill effects," the doctor replies, "It runs no risk of overdose. The dosage I initially prescribed is actually the lowest I could have. I hadn't imagined that the problem would persist or worsen."

"H…How much would he have to take…?" Valerie asks warily.

"Only one pill more than what he takes now," Michael explains, "And we'll observe his behavior from there."

Valerie turns to Edd; "Alright, Eddward, you heard the doctor. Go take your medicine then get ready for dinner."

"No!" Edd argues, "That won't _do_ anything! I'm _not_ seeing things! _Please!_ "

"Eddward, enough," the woman sighs, "Go upstairs and take your medication."

Edd looks between them, desperate for them to listen or to believe him. When the three adult's faces reflect only a pity, however, he bows his head and trudges up the stairs. Valerie glances at Doctor Underwood.

"Would you like a drink, Michael?" she offers, motioning towards the living room.

"Yes, please," the man nods, following the two as they leave the foyer.

Edd ascends the stairs slowly, tears in his eyes. He doesn't _want_ to do this. Doesn't _want_ to take more medication. Desperately, he turns back to argue with them, to _beg_ them again to listen. Instead, he hears them already moved onto a new discussion.

" _Anyway, so do you see what I mean?_ " he hears Underwood urge, stopping him in his tracks as he nears the entrance to the living room, " _About Eddward. I'm very concerned about his current state._ "

" _Yes, but…what can we do?_ " Valerie asks in a breathy tone, " _We have tried everything, have we not?_ "

" _Perhaps not everything,_ " the therapist sighs, " _I regret to suggest that it may be in his best interest to…institutionalize him._ "

Edd's parents are taken aback, and so is the child hiding just out of sight. He peeks out at them, though remains unnoticed

"You…Y-You want us to…to take him out of school?" Valerie gawks, "And…away from home? Into some…'asylum'…?"

"You truly believe this will help him?" Samuel asks, "That we must do something so drastic _?_ "

Underwood nods solemnly; "Yes. Clearly something in his current environment is causing him great stress; making him relive his trauma caused by this individual he firmly believes is back, but can't possibly have returned in this way."

"Is it possible we are overlooking something?" Valerie begs, "Is it possible that Eddward is correct? That this…horrible man is going to hurt him again?"

"No one else has seen him," Underwood argues, "There's no conceivable way he could be communicating with Eddward without _someone_ being aware of it."

The woman sighs; "Is there really no other option?"

"Only to continue with the futile efforts we have been implementing as of late," Underwood retorts, "But considering the results, I would _strongly_ recommend something more drastic. Moving away from this neighborhood may be advisable as well, but that could take time. He needs to be in an environment in which he can truly feel 'safe' as soon as possible. And since the environment that has developed here is _not_ that, I believe that drastic is our best bet."

The parents share a long, painful look. Edd holds his breath, waiting for them to deny the therapist. He doesn't _need_ to be 'institutionalized'! He needs them to just—

"Let us…consider it…"

That's it.

Edd feels himself slip away in that very moment. Something else takes over. He stomps into the living room.

"You want to put me in an _asylum!?_ " he rages.

"Eddward!" Valerie gasps, covering her mouth, "I-I thought you were going to your room to take your medication?!"

"You want to send me away!" Edd accuses, ignoring her shock, "You think I'm crazy and you're going to put me in some mental hospital?!"

"That's not true," Samuel calmly argues, "Your mother and I just—"

"No! No! I'm _sick_ of this!" Edd cries, holding his head, "I'm so sick of you thinking I'm making this up! You're going to leave me in some nut house to rot away because you won't _believe me_! You'd rather _abandon_ me in some asylum than take heed to the very real threat that's been following me for the past week and a half!"

"Eddward, _please_ ," his mother whimpers, "Calm down sweetheart."

"Do not give me that!" Edd snaps back, tears choking him, "I was _raped_ in my own bed and you don't even _care!_ "

The two are shocked by the boy's words. Shocked he would say this so bluntly when moments ago, he could barely articulate it. He glares up at them through his tears.

"I hate you," he sobs, "I _hate_ you both." Bowing his head, he grits his teeth. "I wish I'd never come home!"

With that, he races back to his room, ignoring their cries after him.

Upon reaching his bedroom again, he slams the door behind him and locks the door. The angry expression melts away within moments, but he still feels lost within himself as sadness replaces it. He begins sobbing, holding his head and screaming in agony as he leans helplessly against the door.

It's not fair! It's not _fair!_ He wishes so badly that he could disappear. He almost wishes he hadn't been so cowardly that night. That he would have just taken an overdose of that medication. More and more, it seemed that his parent's may not have cared either way. At the very least he wouldn't have to put up with this pain.

Several minutes pass before he finally calms. He looks up to see the gift box, lying discarded on the floor. Sniffling, he drags himself away from the door and over to where the dresses lay strewn about. Shaking hands pick up the nurse uniform. What had been a simple shirt is now something similar to a skimpy dress. Biting his lip, Edd pulls it on before approaching the mirror in his closet.

Now he can really see what damage has been done to it. It's a bit shorter than it had been, which had only just come to his mid-thigh, but it's not terribly noticeable. What _is_ noticeable, however, are the cuts from the thigh up to his hip. Were he not wearing clothing beneath it, it would surely expose his legs and hips. The sleeves have also been altered slightly, making them much shorter and cut down the middle of each of them so they hang open and offer no real cover.

All in all, there's not much that's been done to it, though Edd imagines that's due to Terry's own incompetence with a needle and thread, or, at the very least, a laziness to do more than that. Regardless, it leaves Edd feeling terribly violated. The man had snuck into his room without his knowledge. He's no idea when it happened, but it did. Terry had taken this from him and altered it to his whim, much like he'd done with the boy himself.

The worst of it, though, is that he's not…upset.

He wants to be. Yes, he feels violated and is sick with the knowledge that his privacy had been breached, but he feels no angrier with Terry than he is with his own parents. At the very least, he could expect this of Terry — to completely disregard his personal feelings and violate his privacy. But he cannot rely on his mother and father to believe him about something so painful. This betrayal is proving to be too much.

Shakily, he takes a seat on his bed. A wave of discomfort washes over him, making him hunch his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, he leans forward to pick up the letter that had accompanied the 'gift'. He takes this moment of silence to finally read it in depth.

 _You're keeping me waiting, Princess. And you should know by now that I'm not very patient._

"I'm sorry…" he mumbles, curling up somewhat.

 _But I understand…It's a tough choice you have to make, isn't it? But haven't I given you all the reason you need? You really need more? Fine._

"I don't…"

 _I'm sure you recognize the little outfits in this box, right? I fixed up that sexy little nurse number of yours and I know you remember this pretty dress I bought for you. I been lookin forward to seeing you in them again. And many more…You looked so_ _fuckin_ _beautiful in them…_

"Beautiful…" he bites his lip, "You're the only one who…"

 _You looked so_ _fuckin_ _beautiful in them…and with those marks on you…Everyone could see you belonged to me._

 _I can't wait to see you like that again. In my clothes too…you looked so fuckin sexy like that._

He leans over a bit more, clutching the paper tightly in his hands. He vaguely wishes he had that warm, plaid jacket now. Wishes he had that comfort.

 _Or wearing nothin at all really. Can't wait to bruise that warm, pretty skin…so fuckin soft…I'll break you all over again…_

Tears fall down his cheeks and onto the page, soaking into the paper.

 _But I'll be your comfort too. I won't let you feel lonely anymore. I'll give you all the affection your little heart wants…all the kisses you been craving…Let you cry and cling to me all you like…Let you cuddle up nice and close after I fuck you. Promise I'll stay with you. Won't want to leave you. I'll never let you go…_

Such words cannot possibly have come from the same source as the first. But, at the same time, he feels that they surely must have.

 _I'll make you feel loved, my little darling…_ _I'_ _ll make you feel wanted…_

"W…Wanted…?" he swallows down the lump that has painfully lodged itself in his throat, "…Loved…?"

 _Because I DO want you, Princess…and I won't give you up to those selfish fuckers who pretend to._

"Y…Y-You promise…?"

 _Not now, not EVER._

 _Come home, my little Princess. You know you want to. You know you're mine._

 _My Princess…_

 _NEVER FORGET THAT, SWEETHEART._

 _You. Are._ _Mine_ _ **.**_

 _And you always will be._

He reads and rereads those last few lines before picking out the few that stand out to him. Make him feel loved…wanted…His heart aches. He begins to wonder what good staying even _is_ at this point.

He lies down, clutching the note tightly to his chest as he cries.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take…" he whimpers, "I…I…want…I want…"

Squeezing his eyes shut tight, he winces against the hurt.

" _I want to go with Terry…_ "

* * *

 _Battygirl: Please don't forget to leave a review! We'll see you in the next chapter._

 _DuoXKouga: Thank you all so much for reading! Leave a review and we'll see you in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	11. Cost an Arm and an Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Welcome back everyone to a new chapter! Please sit back and enjoy this chapter!_

 _Battygirl: Kay so, after the several reviews mentioning it, it occurred to me that I probably should've worded my previous A/N better. I never intended to suggest that I was in anyway giving up on this fic. I'm not going to stop writing it at all. It will be done. I'm just very very tired. Not of the fic itself or the ship (in fact, after I'm done with this I MAY start writing my own BroEdd fic separate from both fics I'm working on with my cowriter — I've even started writing the outline on those days when I desperately need to step away from this one to clear my head). Life in general just has me feeling drained. Along with school and work and possibly a crippling depression I'm not 100% sure how to seek help for, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. However, I'm still going to continue writing this fic. Period. Not stopping. Do not worry about that._

 _What I meant to say was that the DIRECTION of the fic is starting to feel like it's lacking to me. But that could easily be because it feels like I haven't taken a break from it (which I haven't) so I can keep the content up. I'm following the outline my cowriter and I planned out and, as it continues, I worry that things are too repetitive or it's moving too fast, or it doesn't make sense. But I just do NOT have the time to go in and revise it. I'm not giving up on it. I swear. I'm just worried the quality is taking a nose dive because I'm having trouble actually feeling emotions at the moment that aren't all negative. Though, I guess judging by the response, that's more personal than factual? I dunno._

 _Anyway with that all being said, please enjoy this chapter. I'm still not THAT sure about how this one is working out, but I really hope I continue to meet your expectations. Also, please don't forget to leave a review. (And I promise this'll be the last time I get this heavy with my A/N)_

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Cost an Arm and an Edd**

* * *

Ed and Eddy walk into school, the taller boy wringing his hands together with a nervous look on his face. He's still unnerved by the news they'd received from Edd's parents.

They'd gone to pick the boy up for their morning walk to school, but when they arrived, Valerie had standoffishly told them that Edd had already left. Eddy vaguely remembers her eyes looking a bit glassy as she's said it, but her closed-off posture belied whatever emotion may have been trying to get out. Now, as they walk to their classroom, they wonder if their friend is alright and what may have urged him to walk alone to school this morning.

When they walk into the room, they spot Edd at his desk, hunched over his notebook and writing furiously. He's got his head in his hand and is gripping his hat tightly. As they weave throughout the desks, Eddy notices that Edd sometimes tenses up considerably, his knuckles going white and his pencil going still before scribbling over the page again. After a quick glance at Ed, the shorter boy sets his bag down in his seat before leaning over Edd.

Upon closer inspection he sees that the boy is working on some homework assignment, which Eddy's shocked he hadn't completed the night before.

"Hey, uh…what's goin' on, Sockhead?" he asks uneasily as he glances from Edd to the paper.

Edd tenses up again, but doesn't look at him, tugging the hat down a bit more over his face and keeping his head bowed. Eddy glances at Ed, hoping his taller, oafish friend may have an answer to this. Of course, Ed looks just as confused.

"Double D…?" Eddy presses, nudging his shoulder.

"Eddy," Edd's voice is much softer than usual and sounds so shaky and full of sorrow, "Please. Forgive me; I really don't feel like talking right now."

Furrowing his brow, Eddy leans forward a bit more so he can get a glimpse at Edd's face. He's crying, the tears falling silently down his face. Ed's finally spotted it too.

"Double D!" he gasps, "Why are you crying?"

"Ed…" Edd sniffles back, trying to wipe the tears away, "Please…I don't want to talk about it. Just…leave me be for now, alright?"

The confused boys don't know what to do or how to respond. With a sigh, Eddy backs off.

"Alright…" he mumbles, taking his seat, "You heard 'im Monobrow."

With a pout, Ed sits down in his seat beside Edd, casting forlorn glances to his dear, grieving friend.

 _They couldn't possibly understand…_ Edd tries so hard to focus on his work to stop thinking about last night. Tries so hard to steady his breathing to prevent the tears that are still escaping his sore, red eyes. Class begins shortly after, but he hardly notices. His eyes are glued to his desk so as to avoid looking up and risk letting his classmates see how distraught he really is. Every now and then, he glances up to write down an important note or to chance a fearful glance at the clock, but for the most part, he doesn't bother.

It seems to him like time cannot go slowly enough. A part of him is grateful; he doesn't have the energy to sit through his classes right now. However, a more pressing part of him hates it. He wants the day to pass as slowly as possible. Wants as much time as he can possibly get to figure out an escape. Not just from Terry, of course, but also the fate his parents and that dreaded doctor are plotting for him. He doesn't think he has the heart to tell Ed or Eddy just yet. Ed would be devastated and Eddy…well, he's been so difficult for Eddy lately that he struggles to imagine that his friend would care as much as he hopes.

When the bell rings for the end of class, he goes tense again. Swallowing thickly, he gathers his belongings to leave. He feels Ed and Eddy's eyes locked upon him. They haven't left yet. They're waiting for him. As he gathers up his books, he mumbles a quick ' _See you in gym…_ ' before trudging off.

His advanced class is no better. Sitting there, glancing at the clock as time ticks tauntingly away. He feels nauseous with each passing minute and his breathing exercise does little to stop it. He wonders what will transpire when he leaves school. Will Terry be waiting for him at home again? Will he really leave if Edd tells him 'no'? Or would he go back on his word and take Edd away without consent? The very notion is enough to amplify the nausea he's feeling.

The bell rings and he's off to gym. He curses father time and this vendetta against him which is making his day pass so quickly. Reluctantly, he goes to class, but rather than stop at the lockers, he instead goes straight to the 'Sergeant's' office. The man is sitting behind his desk, writing something down. Unsurprisingly, he spots a few medals in the room and even some army photographs on his desk.

"Sir…?" he wills his voice louder as he stands in the door, too meek to enter right away.

The man glances at him, then the clock on his desk, before sitting up a bit as he looks at Edd again.

"Class is starting in three minutes," he informs him, "Shouldn't you be getting dressed?"

"M-My deepest apologies, sir," Edd mumbles back, stepping into the office fully, "B-But I'm afraid I'm not feeling well. I-I fear I cannot participate today."

"You gotta doctor's note?"

"I'm afraid not, sir," Edd swallows, "But that's only b-because I thought I would improve over the day. Instead I…well, I feel I've only gotten worse."

The man sighs, rubbing his forehead.

"Fine, go to the nurse's office," he grumbles, "But consider this an absence."

The boy pouts, but nods in understanding.

"Thank you, sir…" he mumbles before leaving.

He passes by the locker rooms, where Ed and Eddy have already changed and are waiting for him.

"Double D?" Eddy asks, brow furrowed, "Why aren't you changed yet? You skippin' class or somethin'?" He glances around before putting on a sly grin. "Cuz if _that's_ the case, then count me _in!_ "

Edd shakes his head slowly; "Apologies, Eddy, but I'm afraid I don't feel well. I-I'm going to the nurse's office to lie down for a little while."

"Are you sick, Double D?" Ed gasps.

"Hopefully not, Ed," Edd shrugs back, "I'm sure it will pass."

The bell rings, cutting their conversation short. Edd sighs a bit.

"I should go," he mumbles, "Enjoy class…"

With that, he walks away, hunched a little as he tries to suppress the nausea. When he enters the nurse's office, the man is surprised to see him.

"Eddward?" he notes, "What are you doing here? Don't you have class?"

"Yes, I suppose I do…" Edd acknowledges, "However, I'm afraid I've been feeling very sick all morning."

"Oh?" the man turns to him fully, motioning to the examination table, "You _do_ look a bit pale. Why don't you take a seat?"

"Thank you…" the boy mumbles, climbing up onto the table covered in the sanitary paper.

The man stands beside him and touches his cheek with the back of his fingers, a look of concentration on his face. He moves his hand to the boy's forehead.

"Hmm, you don't feel warm…" he murmurs, retrieving a thermometer, "Say 'ah'."

Edd does so, allowing the man to place the device beneath his tongue. While they wait, the nurse decides to ask him a few questions.

"Did you eat anything this morning that may have contributed to this?"

Edd shakes his head 'no'.

"What about last night?"

Again, he shake his head. The man ponders this carefully. After about a minute, he removes the thermometer and reads it.

"No change in your temperature," he sighs, "You seem to be just fine, Eddward." He pauses. "Is something bothering you that may be a factor?"

Edd shifts uncomfortably where he sits.

"Sort of…" he mumbles.

"Would you like to talk about it?" the man offers, "I'm sure the counselor can—"

"No," Edd bows his head, "I don't want to talk to her."

He's silent for a few minutes, unsure how to explain himself.

"Would…Would it be alright if I just…lie down for a little while?" he asks, "I just need to let this sick feeling pass and, sitting up in class or the extraneous activities of gym just feel like they'd be far too much right now."

He feels the man's suspicious gaze on him and worries in that moment that he'll be sent away.

"Very well, Eddward," he relents, "I know you would not try to miss class unless you were very disturbed by something. I won't press." He stands and approaches the sink in the room. "I'll allow you to rest until lunch alright? Surely that will be enough time to let this pass?"

Edd nods; "Y-Yes, thank you, Mr. Berner…"

The nurse retrieves a cup of water and hands it to the boy.

"This might help," he offers.

Edd accepts it gratefully and drinks before handing the empty cup back and lying down. He curls up on his side and away from the physician. The nausea is waning, he's glad to say, but slowly. It's nice to be cared for by someone who doesn't demand answers that he doesn't want to give or something sexual in return. Nice to be given a break from his worries, if even for a moment. Closing his eyes, he takes deep breaths to calm himself, focusing on his breathing rather than his anxiety.

* * *

His last few classes pass just as quickly as the rest of the day. The nausea from that morning passed after his rest in the nurse's office and had remained in remission throughout lunch, but during the last of his classes, it had returned with a vengeance as his eyes remained on the clock for the majority of the period. Now, as he walks home with Ed and Eddy, his footsteps feel heavy and he's quite unresponsive.

The other two boys are pestering him for answers. They want to know why Edd's feeling so bad. They want to help.

"C'mon, Double D!" Eddy whines, "It's just the three of us now. Tell us what's goin' on!"

Edd sighs, gritting his teeth. Their persistence is wearing quickly on his patience.

"I _really_ don't want to talk about it, Eddy," Edd retorts through his teeth.

"But Double D!" Ed whines next, "We want to _help!_ "

"I'm sorry, Ed," Edd sighs, rubbing his temple, "I really just…I don't want to discuss this."

Eddy rolls his eyes: "Ugh…What else is _fuckin'_ new…?"

Edd stops, whipping around to glare at him; "I just _don't_ want to discuss this! Is that such a crime?!"

" _C'mon_ Double D!" the shorter boy snaps back, stopping as well, "What's going on with you?! Stop being so damn moody and just fess up already!"

"Why do you even _care?_ " Edd demands

"What?!" Eddy gasps, "What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Edd rubs the bridge of his nose; "Why don't you just go find your new best friends to openly discuss with _them_ what's wrong with me? I'm sure _they_ have an opinion. Oh, or better yet, you can all go and advertise it to the rest of the school! That _is_ what they're wont to do, after all."

Eddy groans: "Not _that_ again! Why are you _still_ on that?!"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Edd snaps, "I suppose I'm just supposed to _enjoy_ the stares I get from passerby? I should _revel_ in their shock and disgust?"

"Oh, come _off_ it, Sockhead!" Eddy groans, "You and I both know that's just a bullshit excuse to be bitchy about _something_. But I guess as long as you don't talk about the _real_ problem it doesn't matter, right?"

"Do you _honestly_ still think this is all about your _brother?_ " Edd challenges.

"No! Not anymore!" Eddy argues, "Now I think the real problem is that you're not _talking_ to anyone! I mean fuck, Edd, I don't _get_ it! Why do you keep bitching and moaning at the people who are just tryin' to _help_ _you?_ "

Edd's eyes narrow a bit, making Ed shiver.

"Aw…c'mon, guys!" he blubbers, "Please don't fight! Can't you both hug and make up?!"

But the two aren't listening as they glare each other down.

"Just because a person _says_ they want to help does _not_ mean they are _doing_ so," Edd nearly growls, "They've done _nothing_ to help me and frankly, I don't _want_ their help. They desperately try to comprehend what I've endured, but no one can _possibly_ come close. And everyone just _assuming_ that my being upset is in _any way_ related to my 'trauma' is driving me mad!"

"Then what _is_ it?!" Eddy demands.

Edd takes a breath, but never breaks his intense glare.

"What upsets me is how everyone has treated me since I came home," he explains calmly, "What Terry did is _nothing_ compared to the emotional torment you all have put me through lately. Because of your _precious friend Nazz_ , everyone in school knows about what happened to me and _every_ last one of them only ever looks at me with pity — like I'm something to feel _sorry_ for instead of just…a child. Since I've come home, not _one_ person has taken my emotional state seriously. I can't be sad, or angry, or upset in _any_ way that doesn't _directly_ connect to what _he_ did to me."

He tugs at his hat, trying to remain calm. Ed attempts to sooth him as well.

"Double D…" he whimpers, "Please stop! The evil dark side is consuming you!"

Edd shakes his head; "No…" He looks up at Eddy again. "I haven't been talking to anyone because no one will _listen_ to me. Anyone who does is just pretending. They don't understand or…even _care._ They just want to _think_ they're helping so they can feel better about _themselves._ I haven't been able to actually talk about things with my therapist because he relays _everything_ I say to my parents and there are just things I do _not_ want them to know! And I can't talk to _you,_ Eddy, because you only seem to want to spend your time with your _other_ friends." He grits his teeth, glaring more intently at the shorter boy. "And I'm _sick_ of that. I'm _so_ sick of my emotions being undermined!"

Eddy looks away, absorbing this. Edd clenches his fists when he sees this.

"But do you want to know what _really_ upsets me most?" he demands, drawing Eddy's gaze back to him, "What _really_ hurts me more than _anything_ Terry _ever_ did to me? It's that you have _abandoned_ me!"

Eddy's more than shocked by this.

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?!" he guffaws, "I'm still _here_ , aren't I? How the flying _fuck_ could I have 'abandoned you'?!"

"Do _not_ give me that!" Edd rolls his eyes, "You know _precisely_ what I mean! Since we came home, all I've wanted to do is spend time with you and Ed again, planning out scams and constructing them like we used to. Sure, that's what _got_ us into that horrible mess to begin with, but we'd spend more time together on them in a _week_ than we have in the _months_ we've been home! But it seems like, every time we get together, you _always_ invite the others! _Always_ have to have them involved no matter how uncomfortable it made me."

"Oh yeah?" Eddy scoffs, "If that bothered you _so_ much, why didn't you _say_ something?"

"I wanted to make _you_ feel better," Edd snaps back, "You were so… _desperate_ for their companionship. It seemed like you'd do _anything_ to join their group. Were…" He falters a little, furrowing his brow. "Were Ed or I not enough…?"

Eddy's caught off guard by that. Edd hunches his shoulders, his anger ebbing away in favor of his sorrow.

"Were Ed and I…" he continues, "Were we just placeholders to you? Until you were finally welcomed by the others?"

"Wh-What?" Eddy glances between the two, barely able to process this, "No way! I wanted _all_ of us to hang out! _Ed_ liked it! He was having fun with them _too!_ Why aren't you putting any of this on _him?!_ "

"Because at least _Ed_ seemed happy either way," Edd explains, downtrodden, "Of course he wanted them as friends just as _badly_ as you did…but…that's just…Ed…" He motions toward his pouting friend. "You know how he is…I just…I don't understand why _you_ were so desperate for their attention?"

"What d'ya mean?" Eddy asks, "We finally had a chance to be popular."

"Yes, popular amongst our tormentors," Edd sneers, "Need I remind you how they would _abuse_ us? Need I remind you how often they would _beat_ us? I mean, sure, sometimes we deserved it — sometimes your scams went too far or malfunctioned so badly that it'd maim countless innocent bystanders — but there were just as many — if not _more_ — incidents when they would throttle us for no good reason!"

"Yeah but…" Eddy rubs the back of his neck, "I figured that was all behind us after…well, after everything we all went through…Why does that matter?"

Edd rubs at his eyes to stop the tears that are forming.

"It matters because…" he pauses, thinking carefully about how to say this, "because it hurt so much…that you and Ed…that you were both so content and happy to socialize with all of them…And…And that you in particular…" He pauses again. "That you in particular were so desperate and happy to spend time with our past abusers. So much more than…than with me…"

"Dee, that doesn't make sense…" Eddy argues, "I wanted you there too."

"No you didn't…" Edd shakes his head, "Whenever it was that big group…I may as well have been invisible. It's like you forgot I was there…Or that you didn't care…"

Eddy looks away from them as he thinks about that. Though he hates to admit it, Edd has a point. At least concerning his behavior as part of the group. Memories of their endless afternoons with Kevin or Nazz. Ed playing loudly in the background, but Edd virtually disappearing. On more than one occasion, he realizes, that's the very case — that the boy would just leave and it'd be several minutes or, he's ashamed to realize, hours, before he'd notice the absence.

Finally, it clicks. All of the moodiness around the others. That incessant need to ostracize themselves as a trio again. Finally it starts to make sense to him.

After a moment to collect himself, Edd turns and starts walking away. Eddy looks up, surprised.

"W-Wait!" he cries, running after him.

Ed follows, looking worried. The capped boy ignores them, keeping his head bowed as he turns down a strange street. Eddy grabs his arm to stop him.

"Where are you going?" he demands urgently, jabbing his thumb down the street they'd been walking, "The cul-de-sac is _this way!_ "

Edd jerks his arm away; "It's none of your _business_ where I'm going. Please…just _leave me_ alone — will you _do_ me that kindness?"

As he tries to continue on his way, Ed tries to follow again. Edd stops.

"Stay with Eddy, Ed," he demands, "Please, I'll be home soon…I just…need to be alone."

Glancing back at Eddy, he pouts.

"If you want companionship so badly…" his pout becomes a glare, "Why don't you go find Kevin? He's obviously replaced me in your eyes anyway."

Before they can respond, he runs off. The two boys watch him, still reeling.

"What do we do, Eddy?" Ed whimpers, "Double D's dark side is going to consume him!"

Eddy sighs, brushing his hair back. Guilt possesses him. He has to make this right…

"We're gonna fix this, Ed…" he murmurs, glancing up at the taller boy, "C'mon…I got an idea…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Edd has finally stopped running, instead slowing to a walk. He's still being choked by tears, which is only adding to how breathless he is from the run. He knows where he's going. His path is different than normal, but he knows the streets well enough. Only one thing is on his mind. The one place he feels safe.

Finally, he reaches the old house. Even a few minutes alone in the sanctity of his reading room will be enough to make the bad thoughts go away. Let him think clearly again. He races up the stairs, trying to wipe away his tears. So close to his sanctuary. He reaches the door and barges in.

When he does, though, he stops dead.

Terry glances at him, brow cocked as he looks up from the book he'd been flipping through. He grins, closing the book again.

"Well well," he purrs, "What brings you here, Princess?"

"M…M-Me…?" Edd murmurs, "Wh-Why are _you_ …?"

The man scoffs, looking over the shelf as he tries to remember where he'd pulled this one out.

"Your folks were actually home for once," he explains bitterly, "So I came back here to kill some time."

"Back here…?" Edd echoes, shivering.

"Where the hell else do you think I been living the past few months?" Terry scoffs.

Shelving the book, he turns to Edd completely, a smug grin on his face.

"So," he eyes the boy carefully as he leans on the shelf, "since we're here; you got an answer for me?"

The child hesitates for a moment, glancing back at the door. This is the last chance he's being given. Last chance to say 'no' and be rid of Terry for good. Biting his lip, he looks down to the floor. Terry said Mother and Father are home. Does that mean he could talk to them? Can he convince them not to send him away? Experience, unfortunately, says no. They claimed they would only consider it, but after everything that's happened…

So what's the worse case scenario? Leave with Terry and subject himself to the pain and torture that will follow? Or stay, only to likely be sent away _anyway_ to a place where he may never see his friends or know a loving embrace again? The threat of a sterile room, isolation. How much more loneliness can he handle?

Looking back up, he feels the tears welling up in his eyes. Terry hasn't moved from where he stands, instead waiting patiently; expectantly. His fingers drum against the wood of the bookshelf, but otherwise he remains silent and still. Unable to speak just yet, Edd only nods. Terry chuckles knowingly.

"So what's it gonna be?"

The boy hunches his shoulders, bowing his head again in deep regret.

"I…" he tries to will the words from his mouth, swallowing thickly, "I'll…I'll go with you…"

He doesn't move from the door at first and instead remains where he stands, shaking terribly.

" _Oh really?_ " he winces at the man's tone; so smug.

Shyly, he finally glances up to see the man smirking a bit.

"Y'know, I was almost hoping you'd give me a little extra time," he chuckles, "I managed to find those little brats who gave you that shiner." Edd tenses fearfully. "But I didn't get a chance to catch 'em alone yet. Guess they get to live a little longer…Oh well…" He stands a little straighter, his eyes narrowing. "For now, come here."

Edd reluctantly obeys. The weight of his decision is heavy upon him as he approaches the man apprehensively. When he's close enough, Terry cups his chin, leaning forward a bit.

"Good boy," he purrs, "Doesn't it feel so much better to just say 'yes' and do what I say?"

Edd doesn't answer, choked by his fear. Terry chuckles, stroking the boy's jaw.

"Don't act so stingy, sweetheart…" he murmurs, "And after everything you've been through. I was expecting a warmer response."

The boy hunches his shoulders unsure what to say or do. He doesn't want to upset the man and risk facing punishment for it. He feels Terry tugging him closer.

"Come _here_ , Princess…" the man purrs, gently touching the soft cheek.

Edd gazes up at him, wide-eyed. Bringing his hands up, he grasps the fabric of the plaid jacket that is hanging down as the man leans over him. Furrowing his brow, he leans in as well to rest his cheek against the man's chest. His heart is pounding behind his ribs in his anxiety. He winces a little when Terry brings his hand up to rub the small back. Edd sighs softly, closing his eyes at the comforting touch and leaning in without resistance.

Terry watches him carefully. This had worked out so much better than he'd expected. There'll be no problem making the kid do whatever he wants. In fact…

He gently pushes the child away, that smug grin looking so much worse.

"Alright, sweetheart," he hums softly, "I want you to prove to me that you really want this."

"P…P-Prove it…?" Edd stutters.

"That's right," Terry takes his hands off the boy, "Prove it. Show me how bad you want me back, Princess. We'll start slow with a kiss."

Edd furrows his brow. Taking a deep breath, he rises up onto his toes to follow his order. Their lips connect as his eyes drift shut. He whimpers a bit when the man's tongue slips into his mouth to tease his own. Terry's hands are upon him again, as though they'd never left, and hold his hips in place. He pulls away moments later. Edd follows, briefly unprepared to break the connection. He shrinks back a little, his cheeks burning red.

"Good boy," Terry purrs, cupping his chin, "Now for your reward…"

His slender wrist is taken into the man's large hand and he's pulled from the room. Down the hall and to the bedroom. He feels a weight in his stomach as he remembers that Saturday. What he'd believed so strongly to be a dream…It had been _real_?

The door is closed behind them, but Terry doesn't bother with the lock as he ushers the child to the bed. All too eager is he to get started. Falling to the sheets, Edd's drawn into another kiss that leaves him breathless. He feels Terry nipping at his lower lip, sucking on it and moaning softly.

Swallowing down his unease, he tries to come to terms with what's about to happen. It's to be expected at this point, he guesses, but he wishes he could have a little more time to prepare himself for it. But, as their clothes are rid of them, he acknowledges that such a hope is too far gone.

This time, though, Terry isn't holding back at all. The man's mouth attaches to his neck, littering his flesh with love bites. He revels in the taste of the soft, supple skin beneath his tongue and teeth. Moaning softly as he leaves his beloved brand upon his favorite treasure.

It feels so fast, but so tantalizingly slow at the same time. The pain is unbearable; both the preparation and the penetration. Edd's legs wrapping around Terry's hips seems futile, but he's so desperate to ground himself. So desperate to ease the agony compounding within him. Terry's heavy breathing in his ear proves a nice distraction, as do the kissing and nuzzling to his neck. His arms lock around the man's thick neck as he leans into the man's ear.

"T-Terry…" he whines, "N-Not so h-hard…Please! I-It hurts"

The man grunts softly in response, but refuses to let up his brutal pace.

"No way, Princess," he moans, "Consider this part your punishment for keeping me waiting so damn long."

Edd winces at that, but doesn't fight it. He can't risk upsetting him any more. Can't risk losing this again.

The pleasure is growing more and more. He furrows his brow as he feels that pressure building. The man's name is all he can muster. Almost there…So close!

"A-Ah! T-Terry!" he cries, clinging even more tightly to the broad shoulders.

The man groans heavily, his hands gripping the boy's hips tight enough to bruise. Lost in their orgiastic pleasure. Edd lies limp beneath the man, drinking in every gulp of breath he can. Nudged every now and then by the man's lips, leaving soothing kisses along his jaw and humming softly.

"Now, didn't that feel so good…?" he breathes, tracing the boy's jaw with his nose, "Aren't you so happy you said 'yes', my Princess?"

Is he? Is he really happy he'd given that answer? Almost robotically, he nods. He knows what may happen if he disagrees.

Terry sits up to grin down at him.

"I thought so…" he chuckles, grabbing his shirt, "Well, I guess we should get going."

He glances at the preteen thoughtfully. Edd's not sure what he's thinking. Not sure he wants to know.

"I want you to head home," the man finally informs him.

"Wh…What do you mean?" Edd pants back.

"I want you to go home and pick up those dresses I gave you," Terry explains, "I bought 'em for a reason and I'm not about to let you leave them."

 _Oh…_ With a bit of difficulty, Edd sits up to dress as well.

"O-Okay…" he mumbles, "Um…Wo-Would it be…a-acceptable to pack a few…other things as well?" Terry grimaces, so Edd adds, "N-Nothing much…Just…a-a few extra clothes of my own…extra hats…a toothbrush and…t-toothpaste?"

"Fine, fine," the man grumbles.

They dress in silence after that. When Edd moves to leave, though, Terry grabs his arm. Threat is imminent on his features as he glares down at the boy.

"Listen here, darlin'," he growls, "I'm givin' you _one hour_. Pack your shit — make sure you don't forget those dresses — and then meet me down by the creek. That big rock over the water — you know the one?" Edd nods sheepishly. "Good. You be there in one hour."

The child nods again, too afraid to speak. He's released a moment later. Walks swiftly to the door.

" _Oh, and Princess…_ "

He stops. Pauses for a moment before turning back to the man.

"If you're not there in an hour," Terry growls, "I'm leavin' without you."

Eyes wide at that, Edd shivers.

"Y-Yes, Terry…" he mumbles, "I-I promise…I'll be there."

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Thank you all so much for reading this chapter! Please leave us a review and we'll see you all in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	12. Drastic Times Call for Drastic Eds

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Welcome back everyone to a new chapter! We hope you all enjoy this new chapter!  
_

 _Battygirl: Hello everyone. I'm sorry this one's a little short, but the way we planned it out, where this chapter ends is the best stopping point. The next chapter will probably be a little longer. We hope you enjoy this one. It's a little dialogue heavy, but hopefully it still works. As always, please don't forget to leave a review._

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Drastic Times Call for Drastic Eds**

* * *

 _Knock knock knock_.

Eddy taps his foot impatiently as he glares at the door, willing it to open. He raps his knuckles on the wood again.

 _Knock knock knock_.

Still no answer. With a groan, he retrieves the spare key from his pocket. After everything that happened, the three boys now had keys to each other's houses in case of emergencies. The shorter boy lets Ed in, adjusting the sack of jawbreakers on his back before following him.

After closing the door behind them, he looks around, concerned. Lights are off. The place is silent. He could've sworn he'd seen Edd's parents here earlier. Had they left? And where's Edd, for that matter?

 _Is Sockhead seriously not home yet?_ He sighs a little. Oh well, he's sure the boy will be back soon enough. At the very least, it'll give him and Ed a chance to set everything up. He glances at the stairs. _Or maybe he's in his room…?_

"Double D!" Ed calls excitedly.

Eddy nudges him, nearly knocking the un-popped bag of popcorn and video cassette from his hands.

"Pipe down, Lumpy!" he hisses, a grin snaking onto his face, "Sockhead doesn't know we're here. Let's make it a _surprise!_ "

"Okay!" Ed giggles excitedly, following Eddy on his tiptoes up the stairs.

Eddy snickers a little. He may owe Kevin a huge favor for the candy, but it'll be worth it to see the smile on Edd's face. He considers briefly turning around to go to the kitchen first — to pop the popcorn so they can jump right into the movie and relax — but ultimately decides that can wait. They'll talk first. Then they can have their movie night.

They reach Edd's bedroom. Placing his free hand on the doorknob, Eddy turns to his taller companion. He raises his finger to his lips with some difficulty as he grips the bag of candy as well, shushing him when Ed giggles again. With the taller boy stifling himself as best he can, Eddy opens the door.

He opens his mouth to cry out 'Surprise!' only for the word to catch in his throat. The room is empty.

"Aw man…" he grumbles, his shoulders slumping.

"Where's Double D, Eddy?!" Ed gasps.

"Eh, calm down, Burrhead," Eddy shrugs, stepping further into the room, "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"Oh! But he was so upset!" Ed whines, looking around as he frantically hops from one foot to the other, "What if he's hurt? What if he ran away?"

"Relax, Ed!" Eddy chides, "I'm tellin' ya, he's fine. Yeah he was mad, but he prolly just went to blow off steam or something. I bet he'll be back any minute."

He sets the bag on the bed and looks around. _Same 'ol same 'ol…_ Still as neat and orderly as ever. His eyes land on the closet and his eyes grow wide in surprise. _…Except for that…_

There's a gift box on the floor, as though stowed away without a care in a hasty attempt to hide it away. Definitely out of place. Brow furrowed, Eddy approaches the closet and picks up the box.

"Eddy!" Ed gasps, "You shouldn't go through Double D's stuff!"

Eddy doesn't answer and instead opens the box anyway, his curiosity piqued. Inside, he's confused to find a dress.

"What the heck?" he scoffs, lifting the dress out of the box, "Why would Sockhead have _this?_ "

"Maybe he got it for Nazz?" Ed suggests, "For when he says he's sorry?"

"Eh…" Eddy grimaces, "Double D's still pretty pissed off about what she did. But even if he _was_ gonna apologize for making her cry or whatever, I don't think he'd get her something like _this…_ "

He notices then the nurse uniform that had been folded beneath the dress.

"What the…?"

Dropping the dress, he picks up the uniform. He remembers Edd having this. There had been a number of times the boy had worn it to care for him and Ed. However, he knows for sure that it hadn't been shredded like this the last time he'd seen it. Why would Edd tear up his own uniform? He loved this thing, didn't he?

" _What's that, Eddy?_ "

He glances up at Ed. The taller boy is pointing at something on the ground beside the red dress. Confused, he hands the box to Ed and picks up a piece of paper, folded up on the floor. He hadn't noticed that before. Had it been under the dress or something? He looks over it, puzzled, before he feels cold. His eyes settle on the words scribbled on one side of it; _For my Princess._

Eyes wide, he frantically unfolds the paper and skims over the words. He feels sick as he reads it.

… _keeping me waiting, Princess…_

… _tough choice…to make…_

… _lookin forward to seein you in them again…_

… _can't wait to see you like that again…_

… _I'll break you all over again…_

" _Eddy…?_ "

He ignores Ed, nausea rampant within him.

… _make you feel wanted…_

 _Come home, my little Princess._

 _You know you're mine._

" _What are you doing here?_ "

Edd's voice, however, is enough to draw his attention from the letter. When his friend's eyes fall upon the box Ed's holding, the dress on the floor, and finally the note in Eddy's hands, he releases a sharp gasp.

"P-Put those down!" he demands, rushing toward them.

"Double D," Eddy begins in a serious tone, "What the _hell_ is going on?!"

Edd ignores him as he grabs the box from Ed and tries to snatch back the letter.

"Give that _back_ , Eddy!"

Eddy holds the paper away and puts his hand on Edd's chest to hold him at bay.

"Did my brother give you this stuff?!" he snaps, "Has he actually gotten in touch with you!"

Edd refuses to answer, only tries to grab the note back. Gritting his teeth, Eddy shoves him.

"Stop it!" he roars, knocking the boy to the floor.

Edd winces when he hits the ground, dropping the box. Eddy stands over him.

"What the _fuck_ , Edd?!" he shrieks, "How fucking _stupid_ can you be?!" Edd glances up at him, startled. "Why the _hell_ would you let my brother back into your life like that?! And after all that bullshit you were spewin' about how scared you were of him?! What the hell?!"

"I don't expect _you_ to understand, Eddy!" Edd snaps back, glaring at him.

"What?!" Eddy growls, crumpling the note in his fist.

"C-Careful with that!" Edd gasps, sitting up to grab it.

Eddy holds it away again.

"I can't _believe_ this!" he says through his teeth in a shaking voice, "I bet you haven't told your _parents_ about this!"

Edd's eyes narrow at that and he looks anywhere but Eddy's face.

"Fuckin' knew it," Eddy scoffs, glaring at the paper, "Fine. _I'll_ tell them. As soon as they get home, I'm showing this to them."

Edd winces again, tears beading at the corners of his eyes.

" _Fine!_ " he snaps back, rubbing at his tears, "Go right ahead! I won't even _be_ here by the time you do!"

Eddy grows tense at that. All of the anger is sapped from his expression in that moment.

"What…?" he nearly whimpers.

"Where are you going, Double D?" Ed asks with a pout.

Rising to his feet, Edd refuses to answer him.

"You couldn't _possibly_ understand what I've been through…" he repeats, "I'm sick of being here and…being alone." He takes a deep breath. "I'd much rather be with someone who _wants_ me than with friends or family who treat me like they could care less…" He points to his door. "Now get _out_. I need to pack…"

He's startled when his arms are suddenly grabbed in small, but strong hands.

"Snap out of it, Double D!" Eddy demands, shaking him some, "How can you _do_ this?! How can you be so selfish?!"

"Selfish?!" Edd gasps.

"Yeah, selfish!" Eddy screams, shoving him away a bit, "Why would you _ever_ think this is a good idea?! You think me and Ed don't _care?!_ We came here to _apologize!_ "

Edd hugs his arms, looking uncertain.

"Look, Edd, I'm _sorry_ ," Eddy continues, "Really. I didn't mean to make you feel so bad. Just… _please!_ I…I can't…" He pauses and glances at Ed. " _We_ can't lose you again… _Please…_ Whatever it is you got yourself into…don't do it…"

For a few moments, Edd doesn't answer.

"If that's how you felt…" he mumbles finally, "You never showed it…If you really cared, you wouldn't have treated me that way…"

Eddy groans, tugging at his hair.

"You think _you're_ the only one who's been affected by what Terry did?!"

Edd gasps, but tries to compose himself quickly again.

"A-Are you _daring_ to insinuate that your experience can even _begin_ to compare to my own suffering?!"

"Maybe I _am!_ " Eddy argues. He pauses, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, what my brother did to you was the worst and…and nothing can compare to that, but…b-but…"

"But _what?!_ " Edd demands impatiently.

Eddy glares at him; "But I've been dealing with a lot of bullshit too!"

Edd scoffs; "I'm _quite_ sure…"

"I _have!_ " Eddy snaps, "You really think all this hasn't been fuckin' _killing_ me too?!"

No response. Eddy takes a breath and tries to continue.

"I always…" he sighs, "I always thought my brother was the coolest guy ever…Then all this shit happened and now…" He pauses again, not sure how to explain this. "I dunno _what_ to think or how to _feel_ …I dunno what adult I can _trust_ because the only one I thought I could _possibly_ turn to no matter what turned out to be some fuckin' creep who'd rather fuck my best friend!"

Edd winces at that and looks away. With a pout, Eddy steps toward him.

"Do you…Do you have _any_ idea how this feels?" he asks, "Everything that happened was because of _me_. It's _my_ fault for bringing us to him and _my_ fault for trusting him." He swallows thickly. "Do…Do you have any idea how it feels to… _live_ with that?"

Finally, Edd looks to him again, a shocked expression on his face. Ed looks between them with a pout. He wants to say something, but he has no idea what.

Eddy tugs at his hair again, starting to cry; "Do you have _any_ idea how it feels…to wake up in the middle of the night because your best friend is screaming his head off? Because he just had a nightmare about your own brother beating him up and…a-and…" He falters heavily on that, unable to say it. "I mean… _fuck_ , Edd…How many nights did I stay up with you? While you sobbed and blubbered all over me because of what he did? You have any idea how much sleep I missed out on trying to comfort you? Even though I didn't know what the _fuck_ to do myself?! How many nights I'd wake up too? Because of my own nightmares 'bout how I was too _fuckin'_ late to stop him?!"

While Eddy pants heavily, trying to calm down, Edd gapes at him.

"I needed a break…" the shorter boy concludes, as he aggressively rubs at his cheeks to wipe away his tears, "I just needed a break from all that…" Sniffling, he looks up at Edd again.  
"I'm sorry, Double D. I'm sorry I made you think I didn't want to hang out with you. I just…I wanted to hang out with the others for…the distraction."

Edd shifts his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

"If you were so upset…" he murmurs, "Why didn't…why didn't you ever say anything? Why didn't you try to talk to anyone about this? For someone complaining I'm not talking to anyone about my own problems, you're certainly trying to hide your own. Why?"

Eddy bows his head; "Mom and dad _did_ want me to go to therapy like you…but I told 'em no. I figured I was fine because anything I felt was nothing like what _you_ were going though. I figured as long as _you_ were getting help, it didn't matter. Besides, you know what my bro is like…I grew up with that. I figured I could deal with it myself."

Edd observes him carefully as he allows that to sink in. He hadn't considered, well, _any_ of this. Never had Eddy let on that he was suffering in any way. Guilt eats away at him. If he'd had even an inkling that his friend had been going through all of this…

He's not sure when it begins, but tears start falling fast down his cheeks.

"I…I don't know…wh-what to do…" he mumbles softly, rubbing at his sore, tired eyes, "I…I don't want…t-to lose…" He starts sobbing. "He…H-He makes me feel…wanted…"

Before he knows it, Ed and Eddy are around him, smothering him in a tight hug.

"Don't cry anymore, Double D…" Ed cries, squeezing the two of them tight.

"Yeah…" Eddy mumbles, "We're sorry for letting _him_ be the only one to make you feel like that…"

"Please don't leave, Double D…" Ed begs.

Edd closes his eyes, basking in the warmth of their embrace. Something else comes to mind, though, and has him biting his lip.

"M…Mother and father…" he swallows down his sorrow, "They…They want to send me away…"

Eddy pulls away from him, his eyes wide.

"What?" he asks, dumbfounded.

"They think…" Edd sighs, "They think I'm crazy…Doctor Underwood refused to listen to me when I tried to tell him about Terry."

"Wait…you…y-you _did_ try to tell someone about this?" Eddy asks, surprised.

"Of course I did…" Edd answers shakily, "I tried to tell you too, you know…"

"When…?" Eddy holds his head as he fights to think of what he means.

"Sunday…remember?" Edd asks, "When we were at Ed's?"

Eddy gawks at him; "That's why…That's why you were…"

"You swore there was no chance he'd come back for me…" Edd grumbles, "I thought…you'd think I was crazy too if I actually told you…"

Eddy bows his head; "I'm sorry…Double D…When you were talking about all that…I thought…I-I mean I figured…if you thought my bro wouldn't come back, you…you wouldn't feel as scared…You were so…freaked out that morning…I wanted you to calm down, y'know?"

Edd shrugs; "I…suppose I see what you mean…"

He receives a concerned look from his shorter friend.

"What…What _did_ have you so…upset that morning?" Eddy asks. No response is given, which is enough of an answer. "When did this start?"

"Our first day back at school…" Edd explains, "I…I saw him outside. I thought…well, I hoped I'd been seeing things and Doctor Underwood thought so too. But when it kept happening, he wouldn't believe that it could be anything more. And neither would my parents…"

" _That's_ why you had to take that medicine?" Eddy gawks.

Edd nods; "And now…Doctor Underwood is trying to convince them that…th-that the best way to help me is to…'institutionalize' me…"

"What's that s'posed to mean…?" Eddy asks, confused.

As he looks Edd over, though, he notices a gnawing feeling of understanding in his belly. He knows the answer. He just wants _so_ bad to be wrong.

"It means…" Edd pauses, glancing at Ed sorrowfully, "That they intend to lock me away in…in a mental hospital…"

His friends don't know how to respond to that. The shorter boy stumbles over his sentences.

"F…For how long?" he asks uneasily.

Edd bows his head.

"I don't know…" he murmurs, "They haven't said how long they'd leave me there. But…I fear I may not…see either of you ever again…"

Ed gasps covering his mouth.

"Don't say that, Double D!" he cries.

Edd hunches his shoulders.

"Eddy…" he whimpers, "I don't want to be alone…Asylums are…n-notoriously horrid places. A-And what if mother and father…w-what if they never come back for me?" He holds his head. "Would…W-Would going with your brother…really be worse than that…?"

"No shit," Eddy sneers, "You and I both know it would be, Double D."

"But…at least he…wants me…right?" Edd suggests, "And…H-He'd always be with me…I-It might not be so bad after I…y'know…get used to it?"

Eddy grits his teeth, giving Edd a hard look.

"No," he retorts sternly, "I don't care what he says to make you _think_ that, it ain't true. Dee…" He scoffs. "I didn't want to have to _remind_ you of this, but did you just _forget_ what he did to you? How much he hurt you? And tortured you?"

Biting his lip, Edd averts his gaze to the floor.

"I…didn't forget…" he mumbles, "I just…"

"Just what, Double D?" Ed asks, bewildered and completely unsure of what they're even talking about.

Edd glances at the two of them, pulling away. Rather than walk away from them, he sits down on the bed, avoiding their eyes.

"I don't know how to explain it…" he admits, "It was all…so horrible but…it…it felt…good…And it was…it was kind of nice to feel…" He pauses as he searches for the right word. "desirable…wanted."

He hugs his middle, trying to shrink in on himself. Trying to appear smaller than he actually is.

"He never left me alone like mother and father do…" he continues, "He was always with me…A-Always giving me attention and…affection. Depraved…unwanted affection…but it's more than I've received from my parents in years…"

"I thought they'd gotten better about that?" Eddy asks.

"They did after they found out about what happened…" Edd explains, "but lately they've become distant again…to the point that they won't even listen to me when I beg for their help…"

With a sigh, he glances at a clock on his bedside table. He's not sure exactly, but he estimates that at least half of his allotted hour has passed. He begins to panic. Rather than speak to them any more, he tries to plot out in his mind what he needs to pack. What he'll need before he leaves.

Eddy watches him carefully, waiting for him to go on. Instead he sees Edd in some sort of internal struggle. He starts muttering to himself. Things his friends can't hear or understand.

"Edd…" he murmurs, "Even…Even if it seems better to…go with him…" Edd turns to him, but doesn't look up from the floor. "Do you really think that's gonna last? That someone like Terry would treat you like anything less than a…a 'thing'?"

Edd looks thoughtful, bowing his head more. With a sigh, Eddy realizes that pushing that any farther might not do anything. He glances to Ed, spotting the video tape still clutched tightly in the larger boy's hands. Turning his attention back to Edd, he stands a little straighter.

"Listen, Dee…" he licks his lips, "Me and Ed brought some popcorn and one of his crappy movies…I wanna go back to the way things used to be too…" Edd looks up at him, brow furrowed. "Please…Let's start over, okay?"

Edd looks lost, unsure how to respond. Eyes drift from Eddy, back to the clock.

"Eddy…" he murmurs, "If…If I don't leave soon…If I don't go to meet him soon, he'll…h-he'll leave for good…without me."

Eddy's eyes widen at that. He thinks on it for a moment. Ponders whether or not it's really true. He doubts it, of course, but it sounds kind of promising.

"I don't think my brother is gonna just leave…" he grumbles, "If he's gone _this_ far, it doesn't make sense that he'd just let it go." He glances at Edd again, taking a deep breath, "But…even if he _does_ leave, that's a _good_ thing. We can finally be _done_ with him, y'know?"

"But…" Edd whimpers, "what if…wh-what if mother and father really _do_ decide to send me away? I…I'm not sure I can just…give that up…I don't want to be alone. I don't want to go to that place."

"Edd…" he looks up at Eddy carefully, "That's not gonna happen. Me and Ed will…" Eddy pauses, glancing at Ed. "Well… _I'll_ talk to your parents when they get home. My folks and I will convince them that this is actually something to worry about. That you're not crazy. We won't let them do that to you."

Edd sighs, bowing his head again. Eddy's right. He knows that. He doesn't want to admit it. Rather, he's afraid to admit it.

"Please, Double D…" Eddy pouts, "Please don't leave us…"

Edd sighs, looking up at him.

"Y-You really promise?" he weeps, "Y-You swear I…I'll be okay? You…Y-You won't let them send me away?"

Eddy doesn't break eye contact; "I swear."

Looking between the two, Edd takes a deep, fearful breath.

"O…Okay…" he relents, "I'll…stay…"

He's startled when the other two tackle him in a tight hug. Both of his shoulders are suddenly dampened with tears that the boys are unable to withhold. Edd glances over Eddy's shoulder at the clock again. Watches the time tick tauntingly away. He feels Eddy squeezing him a little tighter, sniffling as he tries not to let on he's crying. Edd tears his eyes from the clock again. Nothing more needs to be said or done as they drink in the quiet, blessed moment.

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 _DuoXKouga: thank you all so much for reading! Please leave us a review and we'll see you all in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	13. Give Bro His Due

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

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 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Guess who's back again with another chapter? We are! (It's mostly Battygirl doing the work.) Hope you all enjoy! Leave us a review please!_

 _Battygirl: Hey, not much to really say with this one. I'm taking some liberties with Edd's house (like him having a television), but it should otherwise be pretty accurate. Hope you enjoy the chapter. Please don't forget to leave a review._

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 **Chapter 13: Give Bro His Due**

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He jumps a little, startled from his distracted thoughts by the piercing scream from the television. When he realizes the threat is nonexistent, he settles, returning his attention to gnawing at his nails and wincing when his teeth instead meet skin. With a pout, he inspects his hands. In the minimal light provided only by the television, he finds his finger nails have been whittled down to nubs at this point. He heaves a worried sigh, hugging his arms instead. His attention is split between the television screen and the clock. He swallows thickly. At least two hours have passed since he came home. It's dark out now. His time limit has passed.

Had he made the right choice? The sick feeling in his stomach tells him _no,_ but the comforting presence on either side of him says otherwise. Ed is leaning forward, eyes wide to drink in every image. Every now and then, he makes a comment to them, pointing out some technical effect. After seeing the proud look on his face at his own limited intelligence, they didn't have the heart to tell him that it's something anyone would have noticed. Rather respond in awe and let him think they'd never have seen that if he hadn't mentioned it.

The giddy grin that was returned had given Edd a small swell of joy that warmed his heart.

On his right is Eddy, who's looking far less interested in the film than their companion. But there's still a smile on his face. They're squished into the couch, but Eddy still feels so much closer than Ed, with one leg thrown over Edd's own. As though to prevent his friend from standing.

To prevent him from leaving.

Every now and then, he feels Edd start shaking. At first, it'd been alarming. He'd stutteringly asked what was wrong. Could he do anything? What did he need? Fussing over Edd until the taller boy had calmed again. Now, of course, he's become accustomed to it. Now he just pries Edd's hand off of his arm and holds it tight, squeezing and moving a little closer. Rests his head on Edd's shoulder and nuzzles, reminding him that he's still there. It helps greatly and Edd relaxes again, returning the affectionate cuddling.

"Oh no!" Ed gasps, startling to the two of them.

"Wh-What is it?" Edd asks.

"We're out of popcorn!" Ed whines, turning the empty bowl upside down and dumping several popcorn kernels to the floor.

"Ed!" Edd cries, "Stop! You're making a mess!"

"Oops…" Ed mumbles.

Edd sighs; "Can you two please clean that up? I'll go fetch us more refreshments."

"You sure?" Eddy asks, giving him a stern look.

"Of course," Edd nods, before adding with a murmur, "It's a bit too late for me to…erm…leave, anyway…"

Eddy seems to accept this answer and jumps to his feet, allowing Edd to do the same. As he walks to the kitchen, bowl in hand, his friends call after him.

"Think we can get a couple of drinks too, Sockhead?" Eddy asks, stopping him in the doorway.

Edd smiles back at him; "Certainly, Eddy. I'll return shortly."

He sets the bowl on the counter before retrieving a new bag from the cabinet. Standing in front of the microwave, he reads over the instructions carefully. _Two minutes and thirty seconds should do it…_ He notes that he'll have to stay close and listen for the _pops_ as well. With that in mind, he sets the bag in the microwave and punches in the numbers for the timer.

Aside from the soft bickering in the living room, the house is quiet. A sort of eerie silence. One that sends a shiver up his spine. He fidgets uncomfortably as he leans against the counter. The _popping_ finally starts, earning a relieved sigh from him. Something to finally break the silence. His eyes remain locked on his hands, picking at what's left of his nails. It hurts some, he notes, but feels less painful and more irritating. Amidst the _popping_ and the muffled voices of his friends, he suddenly becomes aware of another noise.

He refuses to lift his gaze. Refuses to look to his left, where the sound is coming from. Past the popping in the microwave. The screen door is creaking. _The wind._ He tells himself. _Just the wind and nothing more._

The door opens.

Panicked, he finally raises his head. Gaze locking with those angry, piercing blue eyes. He shivers, his breath hitching in his throat. He can't breathe at all, actually. He feels frozen where he stands. Under that intense gaze, he feels so weak. He shrinks in on himself a bit, his mind feeling foggy.

"What the _fuck_ do you think your doing?"

The anger in Terry's voice makes the shaking worse. He holds his arms, trying to compose himself.

"Y-You said…" he whimpers meekly.

"I told you to be back in _one hour_ ," Terry snarls back, "And instead you're here makin' _snacks?_ "

As if on cue, the microwave _dings_ , startling the boy again. He briefly glances at the appliance before returning his attention back to the man before him.

"I-I changed my mind…" he stutters, "I-I don't understand. You said…Y-You said you'd…leave…?"

" _Double D?!_ " Eddy calls from the living room, suddenly alarmed.

Terry grimaces, glaring at Edd.

"Shoulda figured that little shit had something to do with you still _fuckin' being here,_ " he scoffs, unfazed when the remaining Eds enter the kitchen.

Eddy glares at him, eyes full of nothing but contempt as he and Ed stand in front of Edd to defend him.

"What the _fuck_ do you think _you're_ doin' here?!" he demands, "Double D ain't goin' nowhere with _you! Fuck off!_ "

The man scoffs again, taking a step forward.

"Don't you come any closer!" Eddy warns, "Take another step and we'll call the cops!"

Finding his brain, Ed turns to the connected dining room and retrieves the phone there. When he returns to the kitchen, he shoves it into Edd's hands. Eddy grins victoriously.

"Good thinkin', Ed," he commends, "Let's just do it now and save ourselves the trouble!" He nudges Edd encouragingly. "Go ahead, Double D! Let's put an end to this!"

Edd's eyes are wide as saucers. He looks down at the phone, unsure. Terry heaves a laugh, looking no more perturbed.

"Bullshit," he sneers, "He won't be able to do that. My little Princess wants me too bad to let me go like that." His eyes narrow a bit as he locks his gaze onto Edd's own. "Ain't that right, sweetheart?"

Edd holds his gaze for a few moments before glancing to the phone again and considering his options. He _could_ do as Eddy says. Call the police and finally put an end to this whole ordeal. However, if he were to do so, it'd mean losing Terry forever. His foggy, addled thoughts are making the decision feel so much more daunting than it really is. The threat of the asylum blips in and out of his consciousness. He bites his lip as Eddy glances at him.

"Double D!" he presses, "Go ahead!"

Edd feels breathless, unable to think.

"I…I-I can't…"

Bright lights appear behind him from the window in the living room, moving swiftly over the four of them as a car pulls into the driveway. Eddy releases a victorious shout, turning to his brother with a sneer.

"Even _better!_ " he cries, "Now your parents'll see this with their own eyes!"

Gritting his teeth, Terry squares his shoulders.

"Alright, I've had enough of this bullshit," he growls, advancing on them. His eyes remain locked on Edd. "Yer comin' with me whether you like it or not."

With a gasp, Eddy shoves Edd towards the living room.

"Go find your parents!" he commands, "Tell em what's going on!"

As Terry grabs the smaller boy, Edd hesitates, too worried for Eddy's safety to follow the order. Ed puts on his war face and moves to tackle the man. However, Terry reads his movements too quickly, and Eddy's thrown at him and into the opposite wall.

Satisfied, Terry turns his sights back on Edd. Without paying the incapacitated boys another thought, he grabs Edd's wrist in a bruising grip. The phone falls with a clatter to the floor. As he starts dragging the boy back to the door, they only vaguely hear the front door opening.

" _Eddward!_ " his mother calls wearily, " _We are home!_ "

Finally, Edd finds his voice.

"Mother!" he screams as he starts to pull against Terry's grasp, "F-Father! Help me!"

Terry grits his teeth and scoops Edd up before throwing the boy over his shoulder.

" _Eddward?!_ " he hears the woman gasp in sudden terror.

Footsteps move faster through the living room and his parents appear in the dining room. In the fracas, Edd barely spots his father picking up his pace and hears his mother scream before Terry's out the door. He reaches feebly for them, struggling in the man's grasp. His father can't hope to catch up. He's quite sure the man hasn't had a single moment of physical exercise in years, never having any need. He falls behind soon enough, but never stops running.

Through a set of weakened boards in the fence that had been moved aside. It's not long before they reach the woods. The darkness is blinding here. He feels Terry swerving through trees before coming to a sudden halt. He's yanked off the man's shoulder and set on his feet on the ground. Before he can run or scream, Terry's hand is over his mouth, pulling him back and holding him down. Edd struggles and tries to pry that hand away.

After a moment, however, he stops.

Terry isn't looking at him; instead keeping his attention directed back from where they'd come. Suddenly, he gets a grin on his face. He clenches his fist, his knuckles cracking. Without warning, he shoves Edd down and darts back around the tree. Edd falls to the ground, too startled by this sudden turn to do much else. He hears a grunt and then a thud.

When he rights himself and turns, he finds his father on the ground. Blood is spilling from his nose and he's groaning softly. Edd gasps and tries to crawl towards him. He's stopped, of course, by Terry snatching him up again. He reaches for his father, but to no avail.

He's taken deeper and deeper into the woods until he hears the sound of running water. The air is a bit cooler here, from the water itself, he surmises. Finally, Terry slows to a stop. He remembers this spot well. Summer days baking in the intense heat. Instead of pool gear by the water, however, there's a rusted old car. It's not the van the man had been driving before. _What's become of that?_

Finally, he's set down. Terry opens the passenger door, but Edd doesn't give him a chance to push him in. Instead, he tries to run. Run back to his father to make sure he's okay and to the safety of the cul-de-sac. Terry grabs his arm again, stopping him.

"Hold still, dammit!" he growls.

"No!" Edd cries back "Let me go! I refuse to go _anywhere_ with you, you brute!"

Were his eyes open, he might've seen the man's eye twitch in irritation. May have had a brief moment of warning. But with his eyes screwed shut, he doesn't see the open palm that swings in the darkness, colliding with his cheek and sending him back to the ground. Edd groans softly as he holds his burning face, his vision swimming. He can just make out the man reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving something that glints in the limited moonlight.

The man grabs his fragile wrist and he feels cold metal slap across his flesh. His other arm is grabbed and his wrists are locked behind him. _The handcuffs?_ He struggles anew, but cannot move much in his current state. Terry's rough hand hauls him up before shoving him into the car.

" _Don't you worry, darlin,_ " he hears the man purr, " _We'll be home soon enough._ " A short pause before the gruff voice becomes smooth and husky. " _Then we'll put those cuffs to better use…_ "

Edd winces, bracing himself for the door to shut him in. Instead of the car door slamming, however, he hears a cry and then the sound of two voices grunting. He struggles to sit up and see what's happening. He's shocked to witness Terry in a scrape with his father. Samuel is giving it his all; throwing wild punches when he's not dodging Terry's own calculated ones. It shows his inexperience, but he doesn't care in his desperation. He hasn't spoken a coherent word since starting after them. The pacifist in him is lying dormant and he's not interested in talking this out. The monster who'd terrorized his son is here now, threatening to bring Edd further harm. All he can focus on is trying to protect his child.

"T-Terry, please!" Edd begs pitifully, "D-Don't hurt him…"

His pleas, of course, go unheard as Terry continues his relentless assault. Samuel soon finds himself flat on his back, struggling as Terry straddles his middle. His eyes bulge when the larger man's hands wrap around his neck, squeezing.

"Terry stop!" Edd sobs, scooting out of the car, "Please!"

Terry ignores him, his eyes locked on Samuel's face, which is beginning to turn red. He gives him a twisted grin, loosening his grip just enough that the poor man can maintain consciousness.

"Don't look so upset, _Daddy_ ," he snickers, "I'll take _real_ good care of the little Princess…" He delights in the rage that still manages to somehow light in Samuel's eyes. "I'll fuck him real slow and gentle. Just the way he likes it…You oughta hear 'im when he moans for me…" He starts squeezing a little harder, making the man thrash beneath him. "You raised a real whore…"

Edd pales at the horrible words spoken so intimately towards his father. He finally manages to pull himself out of the car, but can do nothing to stop what's happening to him. Tearfully, he turns and starts running, though it's difficult with his hands restrained behind him.

" _Hey!_ " he hears the man snap behind him.

He refuses to look back. If that outburst is to imply that Terry's going to start after _him_ , then he can't slow down. Better the man follow and attack _him_ than his father.

He runs as fast and as far as his legs will carry him, but it does no good. Terry catches up to him in mere moments. Grabbing the back of his shirt and yanking him to a stop.

"Where the _fuck_ do you think _you're_ going?!" he demands.

When Edd doesn't answer — only thrashes and tries to run — he grits his teeth and strikes him again. He doesn't let the boy fall to the ground this time.

"You still don't seem to remember who the fuck you _belong_ to, Princess," the man snarls, "But I'll remind you."

With his hands restrained behind his back, Edd's unable to defend himself from the abuse. Open-handed slaps and smacks morph quickly into tight fisted punches. Terry's careful not to hit the boy's face too much. He doesn't want to leave too many bruises there.

Not yet.

Edd's reduced to pitiful sobs as his body is bruised and battered. Finally, as Terry grabs the collar of his shirt, he begs for mercy.

"P-Please!" he cries, "N-No more!"

He winces when the man jerks him forward a bit, so that he can look directly up at him.

"You gonna try to run from me again?" the man growls.

Edd shakes his head weakly. This seems to be enough to sooth the savage beast before him. With a pleased grin, Terry stands straight again to hoist the boy over his shoulder. This time, Edd doesn't kick or thrash. He remains very still, so as not to further enrage his captor.

As Terry turns back to the creek, he pauses. _That asshole is probably still hanging around the car…_ He can't trust Edd not to try running off if he were to have to deal with the boy's father again. Gritting his teeth, he determines it might be best to find a different route for now. With that thought in mind, he turns in a different direction and starts running. He's grateful for the clear night, giving him just enough light poking through the leaves overhead for him to avoid running headlong into any of the trees around him.

Something catches the moonlight and draws him to a halt. Something reflective, but a bit rusty. Brow furrowed, he approaches a rundown shed. It's poorly constructed. There are even a few road signs in the framework of the walls. The roof is a rusted, variegated tin. He peeks through the dusty window, but finds nothing within. Just an empty shed in the middle of the woods. He grins deviously.

 _That'll do._

The door is open, he's pleased to find, and he slips inside. The inside of the little shack is even darker than the woods. The barest of light peaks in through the dingy windows to just barely illuminate the room enough for the man to walk about. He sets Edd down and looks around. While he takes stock of what's in the shed, Edd glances around uncomfortably as his eyes finally start to adjust to the limited light. This place feels so familiar…

It hits him all at once. Memories of being chased by the other kids of the cul-de-sac for a crime he and his friends did not commit, all in the name of petty vengeance. The punishment that day had been one of two options; remain in the shed and allow the Kanker sisters to have their ways with them, or sacrifice themselves to the wolves outside.

The sense of deja vu now is palpable.

Shakily, he turns back to Terry. The man is barricading the door with the sparse items lying about the small room. A chair, a table shaped like a giant spool, a cabinet. To top it all off, he sets a heavy sack of flour on top. It would take a lot of force to open that door.

 _Terry intends to stay a while_ , Edd notes fearfully.

The man turns to him, grinning deviously. The boy goes rigid and takes a step back.

"N-No…" he begs softly, "P-Please, Terry…I-I really don't think that…th-that this is really the best time for that…?"

"Oh, I think this is the _perfect_ time," Terry purrs back, cracking his knuckles as he approaches, "You've been a naughty little boy, haven't you? Because you couldn't make up your pretty little mind, we've gotta hunker down in this shit hole for a while. Now, I dunno about you, but I'm not happy about that."

"I-I'm sorry," Edd whimpers, quivering helplessly as he backs into a wall, "Please!"

"Too late for that, Princess," the man sneers, grabbing the boy's shirt and yanking him close, "You _had_ yer chance and you passed it up." The twisted grin grows, making a shiver race down Edd's back. "And now you're gonna make it up to me."

As the man bears down on him, Edd cowers, helpless to the horrible fate in store for him. He tries to turn away when Terry's lips threaten to close around his own, earning a small growl.

"Hold still," he demands, grabbing a fistful of Edd's hair and hat at the back of his head.

Edd whines in pain as he's forcibly turned back to his captor. Terry takes the opportunity to slip his tongue into the boy's mouth and crush their lips together. He moans softly, tracing every contour as though mapping it out in his mind. He can taste the buttery popcorn the boy had been eating and the sugary soda. When Edd moans back, he increases his efforts, overcome by desire. He lets go of the boy's hair, making the hat fall to the ground, and uses both hands to hoist the boy up a little so he can stand straight.

The kiss is broken for a moment as Edd nearly falls backward, unable to grip anything with his hands still bound behind his back. Terry's quick to react and holds him against the metal wall. The metal is cold and rusted, biting against Edd's back and arms uncomfortably. The metal of the handcuffs only compounds this, making the boy whimper in pain. Terry adjusts the boy's legs so they're around his waist.

"Hold on tight, Princess," he purrs, resting his forehead against Edd's.

With one hand resting on the boy's thigh, he holds the other to the back of Edd's neck, urging Edd back into the kiss. The child whimpers and whines against his lips. When he moves to instead kiss along Edd's neck and shoulders, the boy opens his mouth to speak.

"T-Terry, no!" he sobs, "P-Please! I-I can't hold on! I'm g-going to fall! C-Can't you at least t-take the handcuffs off?"

Terry grimaces, casting the boy an irritated look.

"Not till I'm done with you," he snarls back, "But if all you wanna do is bitch and moan, then I'm gonna put that mouth to better use."

He stands straight again and drops the child, delighting in the pained cry he receives. While Edd tries to recover, he unzips his pants, releasing his stiffening cock. He glares down at the boy in disgust.

"Get on your knees," he demands.

Edd glances up at him, flinching at the sight of the man's erection.

"N-No…" he sobs, "Please…n-not that."

" _Get up._ "

Brow furrowed, Edd drags himself upright, quivering fearfully. He gazes up at the man pleadingly.

"D…Don't…make me…" he murmurs, quivering fearfully.

"Ah ah ah," Terry counters, one hand resting on the top of the boy's head. He enjoys the softness of the boy's hair as he strokes his cock with his other hand to will himself to full erection. "No more talking, sweetheart."

Edd cringes as the man prods at his cheek with the head of his cock.

"Open up, Princess," he orders teasingly, "Say 'ahh…'"

Desperately, Edd gives him one last pleading look, begging him with his eyes to reconsider. Of course, he doesn't. Just probes at Edd's lips impatiently. With a grimace, Edd reluctantly surrenders; slowly opening his mouth. With a pleasured hum, Terry guides his cock past the soft lips.

When the wretched taste touches his tongue, Edd feels the urge to vomit. He certainly didn't miss _this_. The tip hits the back of his throat, making the boy gag. Tears sting his eyes at the discomfort, but he doesn't dare pull away. The heavy groan above him offers little solace.

"Mm…" Terry pets Edd's hair affectionately, also holding him in place, "Good boy…Use your tongue, darlin'…"

Edd gags again, this time in reaction to the order. After trying _so_ hard to avoid so much as grazing the rigid flesh with his tongue, he reluctantly follows the command. Tentative licks at first. He tries to withhold his nausea. Tears are running down his cheeks before he can think to quell them as the man begins rocking his hips. Shame flares through his body as he releases soft whimpers of protest. He hears Terry's breathing grow ragged and fast as time crawls by.

"Look at me," he hears the man demand breathlessly.

It barely occurs to the boy that he'd closed his eyes in the first place. Weakly, he obeys; opening his eyes and gazing up at his tormentor. The satisfied smirk on the man's face says it all.

"I expect you to swallow it all, Princess," he purrs in warning, setting his free hand against Edd's cheek and stroking softly with his thumb.

The child quivers, but offers a pitiful nod of understanding. That seems to be all the incentive Terry needs to pick up his pace. He begins thrusting harder. Faster. Edd whimpers against it. He feels his throat burning; vomit threatening to be expelled. He winces in agony, but does what he can to keep his eyes open, so terribly afraid of angering the man. Terry's fingers tangle in the boy's hair and tug a bit as he nears his release. Finally, Edd's eyes slip closed, unable to remain open any longer from the compounding pain.

As Edd's jaw starts to cramp, Terry finally reaches his orgasm. The grip on the boy's hair tightens more, making Edd wince. When the fluid hits his tongue, he nearly vomits. The bile builds more and more in the back of his throat, but he swallows it back, along with the ejaculate. Above him, Terry pants heavily. For several moments, he remains, trying to catch his breath as Edd fights back his nausea. Finally, he looks down at the boy again, grinning.

"That's my good, little Princess," he snickers, petting Edd's hair as he removes his softening cock from the shivering boy's mouth.

Tucking himself back into his pants, he checks to be sure the boy had indeed swallowed all of it before humming, pleased.

"Now…" He strokes the boy's cheek affectionately, making Edd wince a little at the contact. "Are you gonna be a good boy for me and do what I tell you?"

Choked by his tears, Edd only nods. This, however, isn't what the man is looking for. He squeezes the boy's chin in his fingers.

"Well?" he demands.

"Y-Yes!" Edd whimpers back, "A-Anything! Anything you want…"

Terry chortles; "That's more like it."

With a sneer, he pulls the boy back to his feet. Edd's movements are stiff, but pliable, like that of a doll. He offers no resistance. _Why bother…?_ Satisfied with Edd's compliance, Terry retrieves a small piece of metal from his pocket. Edd recognizes it instantly as the man moves to unlock the handcuffs with it.

"Where did…" he murmurs shakily before he can stop himself.

"Thanks for holdin' onto it for me, Princess," the man purrs, half-ignoring the question.

Edd does little more than rub his sore wrists, refusing to look at the man before him. He ponders when the man might've taken it from his room, but can't quite place a time.

" _Princess…_ " he winces at the lyrical tone Terry had taken before glancing fearfully up at him.

He doesn't speak, but he doesn't seem to need to. Terry grabs his wrist and tugs him forward, cupping his chin.

"Tell me you love me, Princess," he sneers, glaring down at Edd knowingly.

Edd grimaces a little.

"N…No…" he whimpers.

Something menacing flashes in the man's eyes. His grip tightens, making Edd cry out in pain.

"Don't be so stingy, darlin'," he growls, "I know you do. You're so fuckin' desperate to keep me. I know you love me. Now fuckin' _say it._ "

Edd shivers; "N…N-No! I…I don't…"

He receives a low growl in response before the man forces himself to calm.

"C'mon…" he coos, rubbing his thumb against Edd's lips, "You know you're mine. Why don't you just admit it? Give your little heart to me and I'll be gentle with you. Say you love me, and I'll make it feel so _damn good._ "

The boy furrows his brow. He can't make the words form. It's not true. He knows it's not. He's scared — so horribly scared to lose him and the poor excuse for affection he's offering — but there's no love in his heart for this beast. Weakly, he shakes his head again.

"N-No…" he sniffles.

Terry releases his arm, instead grabbing the collar of the boy's shirt in both hands. He hoists Edd up a bit, making the child flail and gasp in fear.

"Lie to yourself all you want, sweetheart," he snarls, "But you can't lie to _me_. I _know_ what you want. I know how you _feel._ "

Rather than look at him any longer, Edd shuts his eyes tight, his body shaking. He feels himself being lowered to the ground again.

" _Well, if you're not gonna own up to it on your own…_ " he opens his eyes, glancing at the man in horror, "Then maybe I'll have to _make_ the message sink in."

As Terry cracks his knuckles menacingly, Edd goes a ghostly pale.

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 _DuoXKouga: Looks like the end is nearing, but we aren't done just yet. Leave us a review and we'll see you all in the next chapter! BYE BYE!_


	14. Feint Heart Never Won Fair Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

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 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: Hello, everyone! We're back with a chapter and I really want to let everyone know that I'm doing okay. I'm not 100% but I am getting better. So, please enjoy this chapter!_

 _Battygirl: Hello everyone. So, before we begin, I'd just like to give a big thank you to everyone who left such nice comments about the hiatus. I felt so guilty for doing it, so your understanding was very much appreciated. But I've kept my promise! We're right back on schedule and I'm already working on the epilogue._

 _That all being said, I really hope you enjoy this chapter. That break really helped me get back on track and I think this should be good. At the very least, I'm pretty pleased with it. Please don't forget to review after reading. For those who left signed reviews on the hiatus chapter, unfortunately, you will likely not be able to leave a review if you're logged in (because is dumb like that and you can only leave one review per chapter), however, anonymous reviews ARE enabled, so please don't let that stop you from telling us what you think._

 _And with that, please enjoy the chapter._

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 **Chapter 14: Feint Heart Never Won Fair Edd**

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"No you _do not!_ " Valerie cries with a grunt as she tries so hard to restrain the boy.

"Fuck you!" Eddy snaps back, tugging against her grasp, "We gotta go after them!"

"No you will not!" Valerie argues, "And mind your language, young man!"

She jerks him back and the boy loses his footing. Ed is at Eddy's side in moments, quivering in fear of the adult's wrath.

"You will stay here!" Valerie demands, "Call your parents and tell them to come here immediately!"

" _You_ call 'em if you want 'em here so damn bad!" Eddy sneers.

"Watch your language!" Valerie snaps back, "You will do as I say and let the authorities handle this."

"Hah! What'dya think _they_ can do about this?!" Eddy guffaws, "Those fuckers aint been able to catch my brother in the _months_ we've been back and all the time he's been following Double D. How's that sittin' with ya, by the way? If you'd just _fucking listened_ to your own kid, we wouldn't be here, now would we?!"

Valerie's jaw clenches; "You will show me some respect." She pauses, gathering her thoughts momentarily. "Samuel and I had _no_ way of knowing this was…real. Michael said there was no possibility that that man would come back just for Eddward…"

"Michael…?" Eddy thinks about who she's referring to before it occurs to him; "You talkin' about that quack doctor you were sendin' Sockhead to?" He starts tugging his hair in frustration. "How fucking _stupid_ are you?! That guy clearly wasn't doing his fuckin' _job!_ "

"I thought I told you to watch your language!" Valeri shouts.

Before their arguing can continue, there's a loud knock on the door, startling the woman. She shifts her gaze from Eddy, to the living room, then back to him. It's now that they notice the red and blue lights flashing from the window.

"Stay here," she dictates, shoving the phone at him, "Call your mother and father. _Now._ "

Eddy groans, begrudgingly taking the device from her. He doesn't _want_ to — _We're wasting precious time!_ — but he knows he should probably get his folks involved. If nothing else, maybe his mother and Edd's would start arguing and give him and Ed a chance to slip out the door.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hey, mom…" Eddy sits up a little bit, "Um…Can you come over to Double D's house…? Dad too?"

" _Well…yes, of course, sweetheart,_ " he can hear the concern in her voice, " _Is everything okay?_ "

"Uh…No," Eddy shakes his head, though he knows she can't see, "It's really not…Um…Bro is…He…"

" _We'll be right there._ "

He's startled by the _click_ on the other end of the line. Well, at least she didn't make him say it…Glancing at Ed, he decides against calling _his_ parents next. He's quite sure Ed's mother would only respond negatively and they don't need that now. _Not like that bitch would give two shits anyway…_

Edd's mother returns as Eddy sets the phone down. There are two police officers with her. Outside, he can hear a few barks and more talking. _They brought the dogs…?_ He sighs. _Yeah, that's probably a good idea…_

"Alright, Eddy…" he turns back to Valerie as she stands before him, taking several deep breaths to calm herself, "Please tell these gentlemen what happened."

Eddy grimaces; "Why? _You_ know what happened."

She scowls, her lip twitching as she holds back a barrage of insults fueled by anger and disgust. She takes a breath to calm herself.

"You were here when the incident occurred," she explains through her teeth, "You would be better suited to explain that to these men. Now, please…"

Eddy sighs, his shoulders slumping. A guilty feeling is gnawing at him. He knows he has to tell them, but a part of him feels regret for selling out his brother — his _family_ — to the police. A glance at Ed, who's gazing at him so pitifully and begging with his eyes to do whatever he can to save their friend, makes the decision for him. Biting his lip, he glances at the men.

"My…M-My brother came in while we were watching a movie," he explains, "And he took our friend, Edd."

Ed starts bawling at that, urging Eddy to pat his back to comfort him. One of the officers jots something down on his notepad.

"Can you give us more information…?" the other asks, glancing at the boy.

Eddy thinks carefully about this. He opens his mouth to continue, but is interrupted by a groan from the door. They're startled and turn to find Samuel stumbling inside.

"Darling!" Valerie gasps, racing to his side, "Oh dear, what happened?! Where…Wh-Where's Eddward?"

He shakes his head, panting as he's led to the table to sit down.

"I couldn't…" he licks his lips, grimacing at the taste of blood, "Couldn't stop him."

"Samuel," Valerie stoops down to her knees beside him, "Samuel, dear, where did he go? Where did he take our son?"

Again, the man shakes his head.

"Ran into the woods…" he explains, "Near the creek…Don't know where…"

"Is there any more information you can provide for us, Mr. Vincent?" the officer with the notepad asks.

Samuel shakes his head, this time looking more lost.

"There was a…a vehicle…" he explains, "By the creek…He abandoned it…when Eddward managed to run, but…" He looks like he's on the verge of tears. "I don't know what happened next…"

Valerie lowers her head to sob into her husband's knee, too distraught to do much else.

"Wh-Why did you not try to follow him?" she whimpers.

"I _told_ you…" Samuel sighs back, "I can't do this on my own. I knew you'd call the police so…I thought that was the best solution."

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" one of the men asks.

"Somewhere into the woods…"

The officers turn to each other, one speaking into his radio in some jargon Eddy didn't care to decipher. He instead focuses on Ed, leaning close.

"Alright, Burrhead," he hisses, "Let's get outta here while these guys are distracted and go find Double D."

Ed's brow furrows as he makes his war face and he nods curtly. Without another word, the boys slip out of the house, undetected by the conferring officers and the grieving parents.

"I can take you to the creek if that would—"

" _Where is he?!_ "

The group jumps, startled by the sudden shout from the living room. Eddy's mother soon appears in their line of sight, stomping past the officer trying to stop her. Her husband lags behind her, his face very red.

"Ma'am, please," the officer stutters, "You can't be here."

"Don't you tell me where I can or can't be," Janine snaps back, "My baby is here and I want to see him _now._ "

Finally, she enters the kitchen and puts her hands on her hips.

"Where's my baby?!" she demands.

"Please calm yourself, Janine," Valerie sighs back, "He is right here."

However, when she turns to where the two _should_ have been seated, she finds them gone. She bolts upright and whips around. With wide eyes, she turns back to her fuming guests.

"I…I swear…" she stutters, "He was here a moment ago…"

* * *

Terry peeks out the grimy window, surveying the little surroundings he can. The pleasurable numbness is finally subsiding, allowing him to be more alert. His clothing still feels a bit too hot to be wearing, but he tries to ignore it. He refuses to look at the quivering form leaning against the wall to his left.

Legs folded and held to his chest, Edd's been reduced to sobbing softly to himself. His discarded hat is clutched to his chest in a weak effort to cling to _something_ in his hurt. His shoes and socks are lying discarded several feet away and he'd only just managed to pull the rest of his torn, rumpled clothing on over his aching body. The bruises he'd hoped to never see again cover his arms and hips where Terry had held him too tightly. The reddish-purple hickeys are splashed over his neck and shoulders, going up as far as his jaw.

He wonders how long they've been here. It couldn't have been _that_ long, right? However, the darkness around him seems to have faded. It's definitely still night — that much he can tell for sure — but his eyes have finally adjusted completely to the limited light. At least an hour…maybe…? How has no one come across this place yet? Isn't _anyone_ looking for him?

He chances a fearful glance at his captor. Of course he'd expected the sexual assault — he regrets to note that that's become the norm at this point with him — but something about it seemed…odd. He's not sure he understands what prompted it this time. What about his rejection had set him off? Eyes back down to the ground, he struggles to understand.

Meanwhile, Terry finally turns to him. He grimaces when he sees the boy crying still.

"Alright, Princess," he snarls, "Quit yer blubberin' and get up. We're leaving."

Edd hesitates, his toes curling as he tenses up.

"F…F-Father m-may still be…a-at the creek…" he mumbles, shivering in fear, "He-He'll try to stop you again…"

Terry scoffs at that.

"Bullshit," he sneers, "You really still think him or that bitch give two shits about you?"

Edd winces at that; "O-Of course they do…They…Th-They _love_ me…"

Terry cackles in response. When he calms a moment later, he gives Edd a dark grin.

"That's real fuckin' adorable," he chuckles, "That you'd actually _believe_ that. Those two couldn't care any less about you if they _tried._ "

Edd furrows his brow, curling in on himself a little more.

"But…B-But…" he stutters, "F-Father was…he was trying so hard to s-save me…He…He _must_ care about me…"

"I wouldn't bet on it, sweetheart," the man sneers, reaching into his jacket pocket.

He then reveals a small stack of folded pamphlets and tosses them towards Edd. They scatter and flutter to the ground in front of the boy, who observes them anxiously. When they've settled, Edd pulls his hat onto his head, a few crumbs of dirt tumbling to the floor from the fabric. Pulling himself closer, he's able to just make out what they're advertising.

Names of mental health facilities emblazon the front of each brochure, mocking him in their neat, sometimes fanciful type. One has a note taped to the front, which Edd picks up to read.

 _I've compiled a list of several facilities and I've already made a number of calls to a few of them. I believe any one of these places would be a good fit for Eddward. Please, inspect these pamphlets thoroughly and contact me at your earliest convenience so we may discuss further options._

 _Michael._

Edd pales at the name. Doctor Underwood has already gone this far? How long this been an option to him? His heart aches. Had he done this at his parents' request? Had they _asked_ for this information from him? More importantly, though…

"Wh…Where did you get these?" he asks finally, glancing up at the man.

Are they really from his doctor? Could Terry have faked his signature somehow?

"Found 'em stuffed in the mailbox when I stopped by while you were at school," the man explains.

"But…you said Mother and Father were…"

"They weren't there when I _first_ stopped by," Terry admits, "When I got there, the place was empty. Then that shrink showed up with _those._ When no one answered the door, he left 'em in the mailbox. So I swiped 'em."

Edd bows his head as he absorbs that. His chest feels tight and the fog has come back. Tears are burning his eyes and blurring his vision.

"D'ya get it yet, Princess?" Terry asks in that mocking tone, "Yer folks are gonna send you away because they don't _want_ you anymore. But they don't want _me_ to have you because they're more worried about how that'll make _them_ look. If they 'save you', they still look like the caring parents and can say that leaving you in some nut house is gonna help you. But really, they just want you to be alone."

He watches in twisted delight as Edd slumps down a bit further, looking so dejected and lost. Like the limp little rag doll he should be.

Finally, he's getting somewhere.

"Now, get up," he demands again.

This time, there's no hesitation. While sluggish in his movements, Edd rises shakily to his feet. Terry turns back to the door and starts moving aside the blockade he set up. Behind him, Edd clings feebly to the pamphlet with the note before tucking it under his hat. A reminder of what he must leave behind.

Voices outside stop him completely and Terry grits his teeth in annoyance. He can't identify them immediately. Taking a step back, he grabs the front of Edd's shirt.

"You keep your mouth _shut_ ," he warns through his teeth, giving the boy a frightening glare.

Edd glances from him to the door, eyes wide as this choice is provided to him. If he screams, he'll be punished severely by Terry, but perhaps rescued as well. Though that will likely result in being punished anyway by his parents and sent to some asylum. If he's silent, however, Terry might have a chance to escape and will almost surely hurt him again anyway. His options are bleak and horrible. He thinks of his parents and hesitates, too afraid of what they'll do to him.

Weakly, he nods, making the man lessen his grip.

The voices grow louder and they're able to discern what's being said and who's saying it.

" _C'mon, Lumpy!_ " the scratchy voice of Eddy snaps in a hushed tone, " _I think I heard somethin' over here!_ "

It hits Edd in that instance what he'd neglected to take into consideration in his sorrow. Not only is he leaving behind his parents and the mental hospitals, but also his dearest friends, who've been fighting so hard for him. He feels cold, unsure what to do.

Terry, however, looks more than pleased by this revelation. Only Eddy? And probably that idiot friend of his? _Too easy._ Letting Edd go, he walks over to what's left of the blockade to finish moving it. The child behind him gasps softly as he realizes what's happening. He's at Terry's side instantly.

"N-No, please!" he begs in a hushed tone, "P-Please don't hurt him."

Terry glances at him, his brow cocked. He grimaces in disgust and grabs the boy's slim wrist.

"So _that's_ how it is, huh?" he growls, "No wonder you won't tell me what I wanna hear."

Gritting his teeth, he shoves Edd to the ground.

"Fine," he turns his attention back to the door, "Then I'll just get rid of that little…distraction…"

As the man moves the last of the obstacles, Edd clambers back to his feet.

"Please no!" the boy cries pitifully.

Ignoring the pleas and whimpers, Terry instead pulls Edd to the right of the door once it's clear, clamping one hand over the boy's mouth to silence him. He grins deviously as he waits. It's not long, though, before the door is thrown open. He braces himself against the door swinging open on them in an effort to protect himself and his captive.

Ed's the first to appear in their line of sight, looking warrior-like in his stance. He's followed closely by Eddy, who's looking just as angry, but more frantic. Taking his brief moment, Terry shoves Edd aside before lunging forward towards the unsuspecting boys.

"Ed! Eddy!" Edd cries desperately, "Look out!"

Terry's fist connects with Ed's cheek as the boy turns, eyes wide. He's sent to the ground, grunting in pain. Ed curls up some, groaning in pain and holding his aching cheek. Before Terry can fully enjoy that little victory, however, Eddy latches himself onto his brother's back. He's swinging his fists wildly in a vain attempt to hit him as hard as he possibly can. Edd, meanwhile, cowers near the door, unsure what to do or how to help.

They struggle for a while before Terry gains the upper hand again, throwing Eddy off. The boy cries out in pain, holding his arm. Ed sees his friend land on the ground and quickly rights himself. Stumbling to his feet, he charges the man.

While Terry's distracted, Eddy sits up and looks around. He spots Edd by the door and makes a beeline for him. His left arm is held gingerly to his side and he winces with each scurrying step he takes.

"Dee?" he asks breathlessly, "You okay?"

A quick glance back at his brother without waiting for a response. Before he can react, Ed is thrown off and back to the ground with one hand. With the other, Terry's grabbed the discarded chair. It strikes the back of Ed's head, knocking him unconscious. Panic takes Eddy as he struggles to pull Edd to his feet.

"C-C'mon!" he cries, "W-we gotta get outta here, Sockhead!"

He doesn't get far before Terry is upon them. The man snatches Eddy up, grabbing him by his collar.

"Stay the fuck away from him, you little shit!" he snarls, shaking the boy a bit.

Eddy grits his teeth, forcing a smug grin.

"Go ahead, Bro," he sneers, kicking his feet a little, "Do whatever you want to _me._ Double D's mom called the cops on ya…They're already at the cul-de-sac and I bet they're gonna be at the creek at that car you were tryin' to drive off in." He both delights and fears the way his brother's eyes narrow in frustrated anger. "You're already fuckin' caught."

With a low growl, Terry's hands switch from the collar to directly around his brother's throat. He starts squeezing, hoping to wring every last breath from him. Edd pales and feebly grabs the sleeve of the plaid jacket.

"P-Please!" he begs, "D-Don't hurt him anymore! _Please!_ I-I'll go with you! I w-won't try to run! I swear! I'll do anything!"

He receives no response other than a glare before Terry returns his focus to Eddy. The smaller boy is gasping and gagging in his desperate bid for a gulp of air. Edd tugs on the jacket more fervently.

" _Please,_ Terry!" he cries, "I beg you! Let him go!"

Terry suddenly reaches out and grabs the front of his shirt. With only one hand around Eddy's throat, the boy is able to start catching his breath. He still struggles, but is weak in the man's grasp. Terry's cold eyes bore into Edd's own as he glares down at him. Tugging Edd up towards him, he leans into his face.

"Then tell me what I wanna hear," he demands in a low voice.

Edd winces at that and averts his gaze shyly. He's immediately drawn right back to Eddy when his friend starts gagging again. The hand around his throat is squeezing harder, cutting off his air again. A warning look is in Terry's eyes now, daring Edd to hesitate any longer. Squeezing his eyes shut, Edd bows his head contritely.

"I…" he mumbles, biting his lips, "I-I…l-lo…"

"Louder."

Edd winces again and takes a deep breath. A shameful glance at Eddy before a fearful turn back to his tormentor.

"I…I l-love you…"

This seems to do the trick. With a grin, Terry releases his grip on Edd before tossing Eddy back at Ed, his anger assuaged for the time being.

"Good boy," he praises, petting Edd's head affectionately, "Now, I think it's about time we get outta here…"

Grabbing Edd's wrist, he exits the shack, but goes no further than a few steps. _Where the hell do we_ _ **go…?**_ He glances around, unsure. Eddy had claimed that the cops are already in the cul-de-sac. That rules out his parent's place or Edd's and likely that abandoned house he'd been bumming around in. The cops are probably around his car, too, so he can't head _that_ way. _Dammit!_

Before he can actually make a decision, however, tiny hands and his brother's small body desperately latch around his leg. With a loud, angry cry, he starts kicking at the smaller boy, hoping to knock him off. In the shack, he can hear Ed groaning as well, indicating he's starting to come to. Growling, he doubles his efforts to kick Eddy away.

"Get the _fuck_ off me, you little shit!" he roars.

Finally, Eddy loses his grip and he's kicked a few feet away, moaning in pain. Ed, meanwhile, is starting to realize what's happening. Eddy curled up on the ground and Edd's wrist held in Terry's tight grip. Scrambling to his feet, he charges again, stumbling a bit, before colliding with the man once more. Terry releases his grip on Edd as he's knocked to the ground to tussle with the dimmer Ed.

Eddy starts to push himself up, glaring at his brother as Ed receives punch after punch. He turns to Edd, who's shivering near him. Too scared to help, and too scared to run. He's alerted by a sound in the distance. Wide eyes are locked in one direction as he tries to discern just _what_ the sounds are. Eddy furrows his brow, curious as to what's got Edd's attention and follows his gaze. He's starting to pick up on it too. Whistles and barking.

Ed yelps as he's knocked off again and Eddy scurries over to him. Terry glares at the two of them, clenching his fists and stepping toward them.

"I'm gettin' _real_ tired of this, Pipsqueak…" he snarls.

Eddy tries to ignore that as he shakes Ed's arm.

"C'mon, Burrhead," he pants shakily.

Ed groans as he rubs his head; "No more, Eddy…"

"C'mon, Ed…" Eddy urges in a hushed tone, "Just one more time."

"Everything hurts…" Ed whines, pouting.

Eddy glances back at his brother, feeling so terribly helpless. On the sidelines, Edd cowers from the fracas. Afraid to get involved and anger Terry even more. However, when the man nears his fallen friends, he reluctantly approaches him.

"T-Terry…" he whimpers, grabbing the hem of the plaid jacket. The man turns to him with a grimace. "P-Please…Leave them be. L-Let's just go…"

Terry swats the boys hands away from him.

"Since when the _hell_ do you tell me what to do?!" he snaps, backhanding the child and sending him back to the ground.

Eddy winces before shaking Ed again.

"C'mon, Ed," he pleads in a whisper, "For Double D. We need Lothor!"

Ed sits up, wide eyes locked on his fallen friend. Edd rubs his cheek where Terry hit him, but he doesn't stand up again. Instead, he remains on the ground to wait for this all to be over.

Anger flares within him and Ed's face contorts in rage as he glares at the man. He nudges Eddy aside and opens his mouth to release a mighty cry before tackling Terry again. A mass of limbs and fists being wildly thrown around. Ed manages to dig his feet into the ground a bit and uses the leverage to start leading the man back into the shack. Eddy follows, eager to lock his brother in once Ed incapacitates him.

He stops in the doorway. Ed's lost his grip and is being strangled by Terry.

"Let _go of him!_ " Eddy screams, charging for them.

Edd watches him helplessly from the ground, still quivering. The sounds from before grow louder and he glances back. Figures are approaching. He hears a familiar voice and he cringes. Panicked, he forces himself to his feet, backing up towards the door. He slips inside, covering his mouth and praying they hadn't seen them. Glancing up, he spots Terry and his friends.

Eddy's on the ground, struggling against the foot on his back that's holding him down. Ed's being held up slightly. His legs kick wildly in an effort to escape as he tries to pry Terry's hands away from his neck. The voices outside are getting closer and closer. Edd's breathing becomes ragged as he holds his head. _What do I do?!_

Whatever choice he _could_ have made is robbed of him as a new figure rushes past him, eyes locked on the struggling group within. It's a bit too dark to see him fully in this light, but Edd recognizes him instantly as he reaches down and grabs one of the broken legs of the chair. Terry still hasn't noticed the newcomer as Ed's kicking starts to weaken. Samuel raises the broken wood.

" _Leave those boys alone!_ "

Edd's already shaking body falls to the ground at the sound of his father's voice. He watches, wide-eyed as the chair leg is brought down hard against the back of Terry's head. The man's hat is knocked off his head and he releases Ed in his shock and pain. Stumbling away, he also allows Eddy to breathe again.

Holding the back of his head, Terry turns to glare at Samuel.

" _You_ again?!" he snarls, "Don't you ever _fucking_ give up?!"

"If you know what's good for you," Samuel begins in as threatening a tone as he can manage, "You will stay _away_ from my child!"

"Fat _fuckin'_ chance _,_ " Terry spits back.

Without another word, he charges the older man. Samuel reads his actions and dodges, his eyes wide. Desperately, he strikes him again, aiming for the same spot he'd hit before. That's enough to make Terry lose his footing and fall. Gritting his teeth, he starts to lift himself back up, but doesn't get too far before Samuel swings the chair leg again. And again. And once more after that.

Finally, Terry lies motionless, his consciousness lost for the time being. Samuel stands over him for a few moments, panting heavily. Outside, the police are nearing the shack. He's sure Valerie isn't far behind.

Ed and Eddy scuttle over to Edd, who's desperately trying to appear smaller, too shaken by everything that's happened to move otherwise. Their arms are around him, enveloping him in a sorrowful embrace.

"We're so sorry, Double D!" Ed slurs through his panting, still winded from his struggle.

"Yeah," Eddy concurs, "I'm sorry…I should've tried harder to stop him and…"

Edd returns the hug, tears trickling down his cheeks. He doesn't say anything in response. Only embraces them back. Samuel turns to them, the chair leg slipping from his fingers.

"Eddward…?" he mumbles.

His legs are weak beneath him as he stumbles over to the trio. Edd peeks up at him before cowering fearfully into Ed's chest. Brow furrowed, Samuel lowers to his knees. The group flinches at the sounds of the officers storming inside the small place. Ignoring the rights being read to the man slowly recovering, Samuel instead urges Eddy away and pulls Edd away from Ed to embrace the child himself.

"Eddward…" he starts to weep, squeezing the boy tight, "I'm so sorry…I should have listened…I…I'm _so_ sorry, Eddward."

" _Samuel?!_ "

Edd cringes again at the sound of her voice. Valerie runs in, slipping past the officers. She offers Terry no more than a look of disgust before turning her attention to Edd. Covering her mouth in horror, she joins her husband on her knees and hugs them both.

"Oh, my poor, sweet boy!" she sobs, rubbing his back.

Outside, they can hear Tony's angry voice arguing with the police about what to do with Terry. Janine slips inside, but pays no mind to her oldest. Instead, her eyes lock on Eddy.

"My baby!" she cries, running to him to pick him up.

She pulls Ed into the embrace as well, seeing how tired and how deeply in pain the poor boy appears to be.

"Oh, Eddy, my baby," she coos, "I'm so glad you're safe…"

"Eddward, sweetheart…" Valerie whimpers, "I am so sorry. I am so sorry I did not listen to you."

Edd looks between them, a look of confusion the only expression he can manage. Such remorse from two people who don't seem to want him any more…He shoves them away and holds his head, unable to process this. Out of the corner of his eye, he only just spots Terry being dragged from the shack, his hands bound behind his back. For a brief moment, he feels regret, wishing he'd not fought back so much. Then he wouldn't be _here._

He hears Eddy's father screaming at him outside, but his foggy mind isn't registering the words. Bowing his head, he blinks away the tears.

"Eddward, what is wrong?" Valerie gasps, trying to pull him back into her arms.

He flinches away, shaking his head.

"P…P-Please…" he whimpers, "P-Please don't…d-don't send me away…"

"Send you away?" Valerie echoes, "What are you talking about?"

"P-Please!" Edd sobs, "I-I'll do anything. I-I'll even attend sessions with D-Doctor Underwood again just…j-just _please_ don't send me to one of those places!"

"Eddward, your mother and I have no intention of…" Samuel pauses, realizing that he certainly made it seem that way before.

To better emphasize his point, Edd removes the pamphlet from under his hat. It's significantly crumpled, but the writing on the doctor's note is still legible. He doesn't look at either of his parents as he holds the pamphlet in his quivering hands.

"D-Doctor Underwood left this at our home…" he explains in a mumble, "T-Terry said he found them in the mailbox…" His crying worsens. "Why…Wh-Why would he give you these if you w…w-weren't already thinking about l-leaving me at one of these p-places?"

Valerie stares at the paper in awe, slowly reaching forward to take it from the boy.

"He compiled a list so soon…?" she breathes, "I wasn't expecting…"

"Eddward, I assure you," Samuel speaks carefully, "Your mother and I…Yes, we were…we were discussing _options_ with Michael, but nothing's been…decided…"

"P-Please…" Edd mumbles, "I-I don't want to go to one of those places…T-Terry said you…y-you didn't want me anymore…b-but please… _Please_ don't send me to any of them…"

"Eddward," Samuel huffs, " _Whatever_ that man said to you…Surely you know that none of that is true?"

Edd's eyes remain locked on the pamphlet.

"That was…" he murmurs sorrowfully.

His parents glance from Edd to the pamphlet and back again.

"That's different…" Samuel replies shakily.

"Eddward, sweetheart," Valerie breathes, "Your father and I…we love you so much. I…I apologize that…That we do not show it properly as often as we should."

"We were only doing what we thought was best for you," Samuel nods, "But we see now that we were wrong."

"Can you ever forgive us?" Valerie asks, cupping his cheek.

Edd searches their faces for deceit, but isn't sure what kind of sign to look for. With a frown, he bows his head. Lost and afraid. He's no idea where to go from here. He can only hope that the two will stay true to their word and that when he goes home, it'll be to stay.

* * *

 _DuoXKouga: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave us a review and we'll see you all in the Epilogue!_


	15. After the Storm Comes the Edd

**A Good Edd Is Hard To Break**

 **Summary:**

 **After a few months recovering from his ordeal, Edd may be relapsing. With family and friends who don't listen or understand, temptation becomes all too easy to give in to. Will Edd submit or can his friends save him from making the biggest mistake of his life?**

 **Triggers include: Pedophilia, Child Grooming, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Rape, Dub-Con, Stalking, Mental Instability, Psychological abuse. Other warnings include Violence and Language.**

 **Pairings include BroEdd and EddxEddy. Subtle hints at other pairings, but those are the main two that will be focused on.**

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

 _DuoXKouga: I want to thank all our lovely followers who have been with us since the first story. This has really been a blessing to have such amazing people who enjoy reading our fics! So, thank you all so much! Please enjoy this and we'll see you all in Bro's Play!  
_

 _Battygirl: From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone who's been following this story and reviewing. It means so much to us both to see the response. I sincerely hope this final chapter delivers and I look forward to future projects that I do have in mind._

 _Thank you again and, without further ado, please enjoy the final chapter._

* * *

 **Chapter 15: After the Storm Comes the Edd**

* * *

It's all muted. But that's normal, right? Sights, sounds, smells. Like none of it exists. Curling up on his side, he tries to get comfortable. No, that doesn't work. Try the other side. Nope. He sighs softly, rising to sit up. Legs pulled to his chest, he stares down at the sheets to stop them from bouncing anxiously. _He doesn't like that…_

His entire body tenses when those rough hands grab him. Tugged back down to the mattress and held down in a firm grip. He winces a bit, before glancing up at the man above him.

"Can't you ever just lie still?" Terry sneers.

Edd quivers fearfully.

"M'sorry…" he mumbles back, brow furrowed.

He feels Terry's hand drag up his side, lifting the shirt only just covering his body. It sends a shiver through him as the man leans over him.

"S'matter, sweetheart?" Terry coos, cupping his chin and urging the boy to look at him, "Yer not still thinkin' about those worthless lil ankle biters back home, are ya?"

Brow furrowed, Edd averts his gaze. Of course he thinks about them. How much he misses them. How regretful he feels having left them behind.

Terry rolls his eyes, scoffing under his breath.

"Don't get why you don't just forget those fuckin' clowns…" he grumbles, stroking Edd's cheek, "Specially since you left those shitty parents behind too…"

The boy offers a shy shrug, distracted by the gentle caresses. Terry seems to notice this, casting the boy a sly grin.

"Aw well…" he purrs, "Maybe you just need a better distraction, hmm?"

Biting his lip, Edd looks back up at him and gives him a shy nod. His eyes drift closed, a small smile tugging his lips as Terry leans down to kiss him.

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

He cringes a little, the scene before him fading to black.

 _No! No—NO!_

* * *

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"No!" Edd whines as he flails wildly in a pathetic hope to silence his alarm.

He glares at the device after he's pressed the button. Torn once again from a dream he wants so badly to finish. Another school day awaits him, but, again, he doesn't want to go. Another day of awkward looks and hateful slurs. _What a joy…_

With a sigh, he rises up to prepare himself for the worst.

* * *

There's a distinct chill in the air. Fall has finally arrived in all it's glory, demanding warmer clothes be donned. It's quiet. Peaceful. Leaves of all colors are falling elegantly from the trees, painting the ground in lovely reds and golds and browns. The playground this afternoon feels mythical. Sunlight shines down, warming their chilled skin.

Ed's giggling and the crunching of his feet in the piles of leaves is the most relaxing sound they can imagine as the remaining Eds sit on the swings and rock back and forth. Edd's staring down at the ground, lost in thought. Eddy's beside him, trying to swing a little harder. The sling on his arm is proving itself to be more of a hindrance than he'd like, but he tries to ignore it as best he can. When it finally becomes clear to him that he won't be getting anywhere, he skids to a stop, turning to Edd.

"What's with you, Sockhead?" he asks, brow furrowed, "I know you wanna finish your homework and shit, but this might be the last nice day we get for the season! Ain't ya gonna enjoy it?"

For a long moment, Edd doesn't respond. He glances at Eddy to acknowledge he'd heard him, but makes no effort to reply. Taking a deep breath, he sits up a little straighter.

"Have you heard anything new…?" he murmurs, just loud enough for Eddy to hear.

His smaller friend grows tense and he lowers his gaze as well. The loud giggling seems so much more distant now.

"My folks said he's not coming back…" Eddy explains finally, "They said he's gonna be locked up for a real long time."

"…How long…?"

Eddy shrugs; "They didn't say…Just a really long time."

They lapse into silence again. Eddy glances down to Edd's messenger bag, brow furrowed. The faded remnants of the marker are still there.

Word had spread so fast when they went back to class the week after the incident. Edd's bruises couldn't be hidden as easily as they would have liked. Rumors had spread. The bullying got worse.

They hadn't put up with it for long. Ed and Eddy played the revenge card for about a week before faculty was finally alerted. It was around the time when one of the more aggressive boys had vandalized Edd's bag with some ugly slur. At that point, it was impossible to ignore.

They're just reaching the end of their first week without them and it is _sweet._

However, as Eddy observes Edd carefully, he can see that there's still something on his friend's mind. Still something bothering him.

"Have you…heard from him at all…?" Edd asks, refusing to look up at him.

Eddy grimaces in disgust; "No way. Mom says he's not allowed to contact me or…well…"

He shifts a bit on the swing, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Um…how's the therapy goin'…?" he asks, hoping to steer the subject _away_ from his brother.

Edd shrugs in response, leading Eddy to press.

"Anything…new?" he asks.

Edd's shoulders fall as he sighs softly; "Doctor Molisee says that I have Dissociative Identity Disorder…"

Eddy looks lost. "Uh…what's that mean?"

Edd pauses, thinking about how to explain it.

"It means that…" he bites his lip, "she thinks I've developed…separate personalities. She's not sure how many, but after looking over some of Doctor Underwood's notes from our failed sessions, she believes there's at least one other…perhaps two."

Eddy ponders that a moment, thinking back to everything that's happened.

"Yeah…" he murmurs, "I can see that…"

Edd finally looks at him, brow furrowed; "Really?"

Eddy nods; "You were acting really weird — like you weren't yourself. Like…I've seen you angry but…not like that. Makes sense that…well, you really…weren't 'you'?"

Bowing his head again, Edd shrugs; "I suppose that's true…There are a lot of gaps in my memory from the past few months or so. I suppose those were times when…someone else was in control…?"

"Is that all…?" Eddy asks, brow furrowed.

Edd shakes his head; "She also hypothesizes that I may be depressed and…she's prescribed me a new medication for that…"

" _More_ pills?!" Eddy groans.

"It's not like before," Edd argues softly, "It's just something to try to stabilize my mood. And there's actually real evidence this time that her diagnosis is correct, rather than some stab in the dark."

Eddy pouts; "I guess that makes sense…"

"I don't _like_ taking medication," Edd offers, "but it doesn't feel like she's prescribed it to me just to silence me or write off my emotional state. Unlike Doctor Underwood, it feels like she actually _does_ want to help me."

"Good!" Eddy says with a smirk, "That fuckin' quack you were seeing before was more delusional than Lumpy after one of his movie marathons."

"What about you…?" Edd asks, "How are you…'coping' with everything that happened?"

"Not bad, actually…" Eddy shrugs, sitting up a bit straighter, "My folks sent me to a therapist too and…I'm kinda feeling better. It ain't been that long, but Doctor Wootton says I'm already makin' progress."

Edd tries to return the smile, but can't manage it. After that, he doesn't want to reveal his shortcomings in his own therapy sessions. What Eddy doesn't know is that he's not actually spoken to Dr. Molisee about anything that's happened yet. What he can't _let_ Eddy know is that, despite her deciphering his symptoms and attempting to treat him, he's been resistant to it.

 _Everything_ Edd had shared with Underwood had been disclosed to the boy's parents. How can he be expected to trust another doctor who might do the same? She's asked him to discuss what's happened. Unlike Underwood, however, he's happy to say that she's not pushed him. Instead, she's assured him that he can take his time.

In spite of that, though, he can't bring himself to talk to her. Talks of the mental hospitals have stopped completely, but he can't shake the fear that it's still a possibility on his parent's minds. If they learn about his experience and his feelings, they might not want him anymore…Anything might convince them to abandon him…And he can't risk that.

Or…maybe he should? The smile on Eddy's face is one he's not seen before. In all the years he's known him, he finally looks at some sort of peace. Talking with his therapist seems to have genuinely helped. Perhaps he should do the same?

" _Hey Dorks!_ "

They look up at the gate to find Kevin leading the other kids into the playground. Edd bows his head, clutching the chain of the swing in quivering hands.

Things have improved with them, but not nearly enough for his taste. Though Nazz has forgiven him for what happened, he's not forgiven her. He's not sure he ever will, but he's at least accepted her apology; somewhat willing to set aside that unease to make the effort to move past it. There's a certain bitterness among the others as well, but not nearly as much as before.

Eddy glances in Edd's direction, brow furrowed, before turning his attention back to the others.

"Hey, Shovel chin," he greets nonchalantly, "What's up?"

"Thought we'd come over n' chill," Kevin shrugs back.

"Cool…" Eddy nods, shoulders slumping a bit.

Sarah and Jimmy run ahead into the park, making a beeline for the sandbox. The rest of the children scatter. Rolf, they finally notice, has a basketball under his arm, which he escorts to the court closer to the back fence. Nazz hits up the jungle gym, side-stepping Ed as she heads straight for the monkey bars. Jonny, meanwhile, has joined the largest boy among the leaves, giggling excitedly about plans for his next Arbor Day party.

Edd remains on the swings, his eyes downcast. He can't bring himself out of his numbness just yet and his energy is far too low to allow him to run around and play. Eddy, he's so thankful to say, stays with him. He has a feeling that's partly because of his arm, but the gesture to remain at his side still brings him some comfort.

As he sits, though, enjoying the lovely weather and soothing sounds of his friends playing and laughing together, he does feel a small swell of peace. With a smile, he feels himself start to relax.

* * *

Dinner that night is had quietly. As he looks between his clearly uncomfortable parents, he can feel the tension grow and grow. He doesn't dare speak up. As long at they think everything's fine, it doesn't matter, right?

Once the dishes are cleaned, he heads up to his bedroom. The numbness is back. It occurs to him that he should probably take his next dose of medication, but he decides to put it off a little longer. The medicine doesn't exhaust him the way his previous prescription had, but a part of him _is_ a bit uncomfortable with a drug that will alter his personality in any way.

After sluggishly changing into his pajamas in the dark, he crawls under his covers. The warmth settles on top of his skin, but doesn't feel like it seeps in any.

He still feels cold.

Several long minutes crawl by, but he merely stares blankly into the darkness. He wishes he could figure out how to better describe this feeling whenever Dr. Molisee asks.

Rolling over onto his back, he tries to better define it. It comes to him slowly. An emptiness. He feels empty. Like he's constantly hungry. Never sated by food or drink. Staring up at the dark ceiling, hoping for an answer that will never come. Energy depleted, he rolls onto his side again and curls up, shivering. _Perhaps if I just lie here, I'll go to sleep and forget it…?_ The static returning is the only response he receives, filling the void in his head that nothing else will.

 _Am I lonely…? Is that it?_ He's not sure. He doesn't want to think that way, but a part of him can't help but assume it's the only logical answer.

Sitting up, he reaches over and opens his bedside drawer. Inside sits two slips of paper, crinkled from being folded and hidden away. Eddy still hasn't seen _this one,_ and Edd's been careful to keep it that way. Bringing his legs up to his chest, he sits up to start reading.

 _Oh the things I'll do to you, my little darling…_

Biting his lower lip, Edd forces himself to read more.

 _Your skin's still as soft and warm as I remember._

As his face burns red, he can't bear to read it all from beginning to end. He's hopping all over the page, eyes searching for the passages of particular interest. He feels his abdomen growing warm.

 _And that's what you want, isn't it, my little Princess? My prize._

 _Don't lie to yourself, little angel. You know you want me. You know you want to come home to me._

His gaze lingers on that line in particular. Glancing around the room, brow knitted together in a weary sorrow. As the darkness surrounds him and the coldness of the room penetrates him farther, he wonders to himself how far-fetched that notion really is.

Lying back. On his side again. He begins skimming over the paper, picking up on the more vulgar excerpts. He licks his too-dry lips as his body begins reacting to the filthy words. Mind growing hazy with desire, he closes his eyes to let his imagination take him.

Picturing Terry's hands on him. Over his hips and chest. Stroking and rubbing where he can, as though mapping out in his memory every dip and curve made by the plush flesh. Hot breath against his cheek as the man leans in to whisper sinful things into his ear. Possessive words claiming ownership he believes he has. The boy quivers in desire, his breathing becoming heavy.

He swears he can still see those piercing blue eyes gazing down at him in intense longing. Swears he can still feel the man's lips upon him. He bites the knuckles of his free hand to stifle his moans. He should probably feel ashamed, but it feels _too good._

Better than the numbness, at least…

* * *

" _Eddward?_ "

He raises his eyes to meet hers. She's watching him carefully behind her glasses and says nothing more. Her clipboard is resting on her lap waiting for something to be written upon it. He doesn't answer her, opting instead to sit in silence for several, long moments.

"Is there anything you want to talk about today?" she finally asks, her tone soft and gentle.

Edd averts his gaze again to his hands folded gingerly in his lap. Again, he remains silent, unsure how to answer. He bites his lip, glancing at her.

"Will…Will all of this… _really_ remain between us?" he asks, brow furrowed.

She sits up a little straighter, concern in her eyes.

"Of course," she answers, adjusting her glasses, "Nothing will be shared unless _you_ want it to be. Otherwise, nothing you say will leave this room."

With a pout, Edd starts to curl up. Now, his silence stems from his thoughts. The folded paper rests heavily in his pocket, a reminder of what he'd come to discuss today. He takes a deep breath.

"I…I-I'm…afraid…" he murmurs.

When he's silent again, she leans forward slightly.

"Afraid of what?"

He curls further inward.

"I…" He can feel himself shaking. "I…'feel' things…that I don't want to feel…"

She cocks her head to the side, brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

The shaking gets worse. His quivering hand retrieves the paper from his pocket. He dares not look as he holds it towards her, saying nothing more. Brow cocked in confusion, she takes the paper and unfolds it. Her cheeks flush a light pink at what she reads. Folding the paper again, she turns her attention back to him.

"Did…" she clears her throat, "Did _he_ give you this?"

Edd nods back, shaking. She glances at the note, then back to him again.

"You…kept this?"

He nods again, looking more shameful. When she doesn't say more, he decides to continue.

"I…think about him…" he mumbles pulling his legs up to his chest, "a lot and…I'm afraid of what it means…"

She lets that settle for a moment, eyes drifting to the scribbled writing. She's quiet, thinking about how best to say what's on her mind.

"Eddward," she begins carefully, "What happened to you…" She licks her lips in thought. "What happened to you is very traumatic. I'm sure you've heard that many times before now, but it's true. It's traumatic for anyone, but for a child…it's so much worse. What this man put you through is enough to thoroughly disturb anyone, let alone a child like yourself. You do not need to be ashamed of how you feel."

Finally, he looks at her, tears stinging his eyes.

"You're in the process of healing," she continues, "Part of that process means you're going to encounter thoughts and feelings you may not be comfortable with." She gives him a careful look. "But the worst thing you can do is _repress_ those feelings. Doing so will only make things worse and you'll only _feel_ worse the more you try to reject them."

Edd sighs softly; "So what do I _do…?_ "

"Well," she sits up a little straighter, "The best thing to do is _talk_ about your feelings. The sooner you can accept the way you feel and understand _why,_ the sooner you can begin to move _past_ them. Only then will you avoid being consumed by them."

Edd bows his head, thinking that over carefully. _Is that true…?_ He wonders if it's something Dr. Underwood would have come up with to _make_ him talk. _Is she just trying to get information from me?_ A glance at her patient eyes and warm smile suggests otherwise.

The vice grip holding his knees to his chest loosens and he nods in understanding. Her smile grows and she raises her clipboard again.

"So," she begins calmly, "Are you ready to talk about it?"

He pauses, thinking about that carefully. It appears he pauses a bit too long, though.

"If you're not ready," she adds, reading his uncertainty, "You don't have to—"

"No…" Edd takes a deep breath, "I think…I should…"

She nods to him; "Very well. Whenever you're ready."

For a few moments, Edd thinks hard about where to start. A few weeks ago? The months he'd spent dealing with Underwood? His days of captivity at Terry's hand? None of that seems like a remotely good place to begin in order to accurately explain everything. In a way, though, that settles the matter for him. _From the beginning I guess_ _…_

Eyes kept straight forward, he swallows the lump in his throat.

"It began with a very stupid scam gone wrong…"

* * *

 _Battygirl: Thank you all so much for reading. Don't forget to leave a review!  
_


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